Thursday, July 26, 2012

School Board Vacancy, Zone III


ANNOUNCEMENT OF VACANCY

School Board Trustee Positions, Zone III

The Board of the Garden Valley School District announces a Trustee vacancy for Trustee Zone III (Lowman area), effective immediately.

Requirements for the position include being a legal resident of the designated Trustee Zone, energy and enthusiasm for the District and its schools, the ability to work within the duties and responsibilities of school trustees, make difficult decisions in the face of popular sentiment, and the ability to spend the necessary time for training, meeting preparation, and meeting attendance and participation.

Interested parties should submit a letter of interest answering the following questions:

1.      Why do you wish to serve on the Garden Valley School District Board of Trustees?

2.      What experience, knowledge, skills, or training do you have that would benefit the Board?

3.      What do you see your role on the board as being?

Letters of interest should be sent to Connie Bartel, Clerk of the Board, PO Box 710, Garden Valley, ID  83622, or delivered to the District office at 1053 Banks Lowman Road. Vacancy will be open until filled.

Should the Board wish to conduct interviews applicants will be notified and a date and time agreed upon.

The successful applicant will be sworn in at the next convening meeting of the Board, and will serve the remainder of the term associated with the vacant position through July, 2015.

For questions about the Garden Valley School District, the application process, or boundaries of the vacant Zone, please contact Connie Bartel by email at cbartel@gvsd.net or by telephone at 462-3756.

Thank you for your interest in the Garden Valley School District

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Boise County takes Parcels from Southfork Landing

Unpaid taxes force Boise County to take more than half of Southfork Landing’s parcels.

Developers missed the deadline to pay back-owed property taxes on much of their large residential development in Garden Valley.
Now Boise County has seized and is preparing to sell more than half of the parcels in a tax-deed sale.
 
Two of Southfork’s developers — Dynamis Energy CEO C. Lloyd Mahaffey, Dynamis Energy Senior Vice President John Johnston — are part of a company that owes Ada County $2 million on a garbage gasifier project.Southfork’s other partners are Erik Oaas and Steve Laney.
 
Boise County says Southfork owes $399,451.08 in property taxes for 2008 to 2011 for 115 parcels in the 868-acre residential development along the South Fork of the Payette River.
 
Less than 30 lots have been sold and the county has issued just five building permits for homes since the project was approved in 2006.
The company needed to pay the 2008 taxes and fees totaling about $183,000 by July 23 to avoid the county taking the property.
 
On Friday, the county received $60,365.23 from Oaas, which covered the 2008 taxes and associated fees for 54 of the 115 parcels.
“We took the other 61 parcels for tax-deed sale,” Boise County Treasurer April Hutchings said Tuesday.
 
Boise County commissioners have not set a date for selling the properties.“By Idaho code, we have to sell them within 14 months,” Hutchings said.
 
Mahaffey has told the Idaho Statesman he will not comment on the Southfork project.
 
Oaas declined to comment on Southfork’s future. He did say the Southfork partnership is still intact and he is aware Boise County has taken 61 parcels for tax-deed sale.
 
Dynamis Energy and Ada County have entered a 30-year agreement to build a $70 million garbage gasification plant capable of disposing of 408 tons of trash, tires and other solid waste daily.
Dynamis plans to start construction in September. To get a building permit, the company must repay the $2 million the county gave Dynamis in 2010 to design the plant.
 
Delinquent property taxes aren’t Southfork’s only problem. Southfork has been in default on its $24 million loan and its lender, California-based Mortgage Fund 08 LLC, owned by Walter Ng, was forced into involuntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September, according to court documents. The bankruptcy trustee for Mortgage Fund 08 refused to comment on the case.
 
Cynthia Sewell: 377-6428, Twitter: @CynthiaSewell

Monday, July 23, 2012

Dress in your vintage fifties garb and head over to the Community Hall for the Sock Hop! 2-6 p.m.!

Thursday, July 19, 2012

GV Market 1st Anniversary

Happy Anniversary to us!!! Today is our 1 year anniversary in the new Market and we’d like to celebrate with you this Saturday, the 21st. We’ll have free hot dogs outside on our sidewalk between 12 noon and 2pm. Inside the store, we’ll have reduced prices on many of our Summer items. We’re so proud of the employees that walked into this new building 1 year ago today and worked so very hard that day and everyday since. We’re also very thankful for your support, as always.
What’s new this week?

Pate is back in stock on the Deli cheese island.

We have a new gourmet Italian Filetto sauce with Tomato, Prosciutto and Onion. It’s called Rao’s Homemade Cuore DiPomodoro. It’s in a 24-oz. jar and is located on the Deli Cheese Island as well!

On the home front, Windex wipes are back with new packaging. So convenient to keep in your car or in the kitchen, or close to the bathroom mirror!

Helen has done a wonderful job in Produce getting good product and good pricing for us. Corn pricing is going through the roof across the country because of the drought, but she keeps finding good deals. This week corn continues at 2 ears for $1. She also has a great buy on local Rainer Cherries….only $2.79 lb and that’s while supplies last.

The Meat Dept has great buys on grilling meats and freshly ground beef. While shopping, pick up a package of our freshly ground and freshly made Garden Valley Market sausage in either County Breakfast or Italian seasoning.

Don’t forget to visit the Farmers Market this Saturday and then stop in at the Market for our Celebration.

We look forward to your next visit!

Greg and Gerold
Garden Valley Market
462-3817
greg@gardenvalley-market.com


Davey's Bridge Update

WEEKLY NEWSLETTER – July 18, 2012
Davey’s Bridge
Construction Activities and Upcoming Work
Clearing and grubbing operations, installation of sediment erosion control measures, and surveying will continue through this week. Earth moving activities will begin early next week.

Traffic Delays Legacy Contracting Inc is scheduled to work Monday thru Thursday. Flagging operations may be required between the hours of 7AM and 5PM on these days with up to 15 minute delays. Traffic is currently being stopped at the intersection of Banks-Lowman Road and Middle Fork Road and at the East end of the project.

Note: Construction and flagging operations will take place this Friday 7AM-5PM.
Alternate Routes No reasonable alternate routes currently available to bypass the construction site. If one is traveling west from Garden Valley and intends to stop in Crouch, Old Crouch Road can be taken to bypass the construction site.

Contact Information Construction Manager: Sean Jackson, Project Engineer
Mailing Address: 1119-A Banks Lowman Rd
Garden Valley, ID 83622
Office Phone: 208-462-5166
E-mail: sean.jackson@dot.gov

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

The Power of a Single Semi-Colon

by Rich Smith
Many folks, well perhaps only a few, ponder Chief Justice Roberts’ decision to uphold the constitutionality of the Affordable Health Care Act (Obamacare).  This required him to declare the mandate that all individuals purchase insurance or pay a fine is a tax and not a penalty. 

The purpose of the US Constitution is to define the powers of the Federal government and to protect citizens by specifically limiting those powers.  Article I Section 8 of the Constitution enumerates those powers given to Congress, and Section 9 enumerates those powers denied to them.  The first power in Section 8 is:

“Congress shall have the power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and excises to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States, but all duties, imposts and excises shall be uniform throughout the United States.”

The punctuation used in the phrase is critical.  Representative Morris (PA), chairman of the Style Committee of the 1798 Constitutional Congress, wanted to expand the power for Congress to “lay and collect” taxes beyond those few listed, so in the first printed edition he replaced the comma following the word “taxes” in Section 8 with a semicolon, thereby giving “taxes” special plenary (total) meaning separate from the intended few powers to tax such as duties, imposts and excises, which were the only Federal taxes the founding Fathers (especially James Madison) intended. This seemingly innocuous change (if retained) would give Congress virtually power to impose any tax as long as the tax promoted the “common defense and general welfare of the United States”.

Member Robert Sherman of the 1798 Constitutional Congress saw through this subterfuge and insisted that the semicolon be removed from the printed document and the comma reinserted in the printed final document, where it remains to this day. 

Since the eighteenth century, some in Congress have argued that the taxing power given to them is unbounded and several times attempted to expand their power to tax “for the common defense and general welfare of the Nation”.  Our founding fathers, aware that unfair taxation was one of the main reasons for the Declaration of Independence, were very cautions when it came to taxation and wrote protections into the Constitution intended to limit the Congressional power to tax.  

Article 1 section 9 of the Constitution lists those powers denied to Congress, and paragraph 4 specifies that “No capitation (head tax) or other direct tax shall be laid unless in proportion to the census”.  In other words, Congress cannot impose individual taxes.  This is exactly why it became necessary in 1913 to propose and ratify the XVI amendment that allows Congress to “lay and collect taxes on income” without apportionment.

This brings us to the justification used by Chief Justice John Roberts in his ruling in NFIB v Sebelius June 2012.  In that ruling, he declared the mandate to purchase individual insurance was a tax and not a penalty, and used that argument to uphold the Affordable Health Care Act (Obamacare) as constitutional.  Justice Roberts is well aware of the taxing limitations imposed by the Constitution.  His decision to declare the insurance mandate a tax yet not a head tax goes beyond understanding.  In effect, Justice Roberts has replaced the comma following the word “taxes” in Article I Section 8 with a semicolon and ignored the limits imposed by Article 1 section 9, thereby expanding the Congressional power to tax for the “general welfare” of the United States.

As some pundits have said, Congress now has to power to tax the very air we breathe (as in the failed Clean Air Act).


Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Boise County Update on Alamar, Twileger and more...

From Boise County Commissioner, Jamie Anderson
Hi All,

Yesterday, Boise County Board of County Commissioners committed $500,000.00 of Boise County Funds to pay down the Alamar Debt which included paying off one of the registered warrants plus interest. I have attached Resolution 2012-26 showing the details.

Boise County’s application to the Idaho Bond Bank was submitted in May and we are waiting to hear back. There were a record number of participants (11) and a record number of outstanding obligations (21) in a record-sized bond issuance ($80M) at historic low interest rates. The IBBA Board has chosen to allow the Boise County’s Limited Tax refinancing application and Twin Falls new money Wastewater project application to move forward, while delaying the remaining refinancing applications until a refinancing policy can be drafted and decided upon. The good news is that the Bond Bank is moving forward with the County’s application and will likely bring it up for approval soon.

Thanks again to the Boise County voters who made this possible!

I also want to thank all of those involved with the fires in Clear Creek last week. I am so thankful for the dedicated and skilled personnel who responded quickly and effectively. I cannot thank them all enough for the valuable service provided Boise County.
In case you did not hear, Representative Ken Roberts has resigned to accept a position on the Idaho State Tax Commission. Governor Otter will be appointing his replacement and since Roberts was slated to be on the November ballot for re-election to the House from a realigned District 8 – including Boise, Valley, Custer, Lemhi, and Gem counties – a newly formed Republican legislative district committee will be meeting Saturday in Lowman and selecting his ballot replacement.

Prosecuting Attorney RJ Twilegar has also submitted his resignation as Boise County Prosecuting Attorney effective August 6, 2012. Boise County Commissioners anticipate receiving names from the Boise County Democratic Central Committee to appoint a replacement.

I am always ready and willing to hear from any of you on any matters of concern. Please contact me at 208 462-3439 or jamiea@frontiernet.net.

Best regards,
Jamie Anderson
Boise County Commissioner
 ~ ~ ~

BOISE COUNTY
RESOLUTION #2012-26
RESOLUTION OF THE BOISE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS,
RELATING TO THE EARLY PAYMENT OF THE ALAMAR DEBT, REGISTERED
WARRANT NO. R-3, SERIES 2012.
WHEREAS,

the County of Boise, Idaho (the "County"), is duly organized and existing

under the laws of the State ofldaho; and
WHEREAS,
the County adopted Resolution No. 2012-07 which authorized issuance of

warrants in the amount of $1,200,000.00 redeemable on November 14, 2011 and another warrant
in the amount of $1,050,000.00 on or before December 21, 2011. The County Treasurer is
authorized to issue warrants in the amount of $405,500.00 maturing as follows: February 28,
2013, September 1, 2013, February 28, 2014, September 1, 2014, February 28, 2015, September
I, 2015, February 28, 2016 and in the amount of $311,500, maturing September I, 2016 and
authorized through Resolution #2012-23, (the "Warrants"), are hereby authorized to be issued,
sold and delivered in the manner hereinafter provided; and

WHEREAS,
the County has received an Order from Hon. B. Lynn Winmill in the
Alamar Case, Docket No. 245 ("Order"); wherein the County is required to issue warrants to pay
the settlement amount of $5,400,000.00 and other consideration to Plaintiffs specified therein
("settlement amount"), said warrants to be issued in a series to be paid in fiscal years 2012-2016
and possibly additional fiscal years until paid as described in the Order; and
WHEREAS,
the County has received the Order wherein no pre-payment penalty would
be incurred by Boise County if the balance is paid sooner; and
WHEREAS,
Idaho Code§ 31-1608, allows for expenditures required by law; and

WHEREAS,
the Board of County Commissioners made a commitment to voters to pay
$500,000.00 of Boise County funds to pay down the Alamar Debt upon passage of the special
ballot question; and
WHEREAS,
the County redeemed Registered Warrant No. R-1 and R-2 on November
14, 2011; and
WHEREAS,
the County wishes to make an early redemption of Registered Warrant No.
R-3, including both principle and accrued interest on such warrant; and
WHEREAS,
the appropriated FY 2012 budget did not include revenue from interest
earnings on Boise County cash and investment accounts; and
WHEREAS,
the Boise County Treasurer's office has received interest earnings from
cash and investment accounts totaling $63,452.66 as of June 30, 2012; and
WHEREAS,
the Board of County Commissioners find it necessary to utilize the
unscheduled revenue, under
I. C. 31-1605, attributable to interest earnings towards making their
commitment to the voters to pay $500,000.00 of Boise County funds to pay down the Alamar
debt upon passage of the special ballot question;
NOW THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED BY UNAN1MOUS VOTE OF THE BOARD
OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE COUNTY OF BOISE, IDAHO, as follows:
 
Section 1. The Board hereby finds and declares as follows: 

A.

Registered Warrant No. R-3, dated November 11, 2011, will be redeemed on July
16, 2012, in the amount of $405,500.
B.

Interest accrued on Warrant No. R-3, as of July 16, 2012, in the amount of
$14,970.17.
Section 2. The source of funds, for payment as outlined in Section
1 herein, to be
transferred to the Warrant Redemption Fund as follows:
BUDGET ACCOUNT   
0024-00-0724-00   Tort Claim Reserve...............$420,470.17
0001-00-0341-00   Interest on Investments.............63,452.66
0001-05-0561-00   Meeting Expense Training...............77.17
0001-11-0401-00   Salary...........................................6,000.00
0001-11-0410-00   Retirement...................................5,000.00
0001-21-0402-00   Salary-Deputy Admin..................5,000.00
...............................................................................$500,000.00
TOTAL BUDGET ACCOUNTS

Section 3. The Chairperson of the Board of County Commissioners, County Clerk or the
County Treasurer, as may be appropriate to the document being executed, are hereby further
authorized to execute such further documents and certifications as may be necessary or
appropriate to carry out the intent of this resolution.
Section
4. This resolution shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and
approval.
Section 5. The remaining funds committed to making an early payment of the Alamar
debt, in the amount of $79,529.83, will be transferred to the Boise County Warrant Redemption
Fund.

25-00. Such funds shall remain in the Warrant Redemption Fund until a bond issuance is
finalized or the next registered warrant, Warrant No. R-4, is redeemed, whichever transaction
takes place first. Such funds will be used as part of the bond issuance or warrant redemption.
DATED this
16th day of July, 2012.
COUNTY OF BOISE, IDAHO
Robert A. Fry, Chairman



Saturday, July 14, 2012

Syringa Club Still Making it Happen!


Syringa Club members who got their hands dirty are Marlo Glauser, top left;
Anjali Angel, top right; and Georgianna Goetsch and her daughter, Emily, bottom left.
Thanks to the Treasure Valley Boy Scouts and Scout Leaders that provided the manpower to accomplish the Pioneer Cemetery clean-up. We could not have done it without the Scouts ! That extends to the library and Linda Baker, and her efforts on the Landscaping committee, that same day. Garden Valley Syringa Club members Georgianna Goetsch, Anjali Angel and Marlo Glauser enjoyed the cutting and clearing of the cemetery, along with the industrious, young fellows.
~
In addition to the lovely restoration of the Pioneer Cemetery sign, (thank-you, Rudy Prachyl ), Syringa Club can also celebrate the placing of the Charles Ostner Historical Maker sign, now in place.

~
Thanks to Bill Jones and the Boise County Road & Bridge Department for providing the post and manpower to place and attach the sign. Special thanks to Syringa member Jayne Carlson for transport and delivery of sign to the County yard, here in Garden Valley.

~
The Ostner statue sits on the left hand side of the Alder Creek Road just past the South Fork Road intersection; the Historical Marker is on the right, with an arrow directing attention to the site.

~
Syringa Club's continuing efforts to provide a vital role in the community through improvements, service, and continuing the history benefits not only our local community, but Boise County, the State of Idaho, and beyond.
~
On Thursday, July 19, members will treat themselves to a lovely luncheon at the home of Cheryl Goo, who provides the annual epicurean feast for the ladies. It is a just reward for the fine accomplishments of this community-minded organization.


Thanks to Georgianna Goetsch for her contribution.

Friday, July 13, 2012

GV Market Summer Deals



By Greg and Gerold
Garden Valley Market
~
Welcome to the Week-end!
~
We wanted Summer and it arrived although a little warmer than we anticipated. We still have a few river rafts and Summer water toys available. In addition, we have a handful of patio umbrellas remaining just ready to create some shade for you.
~
It's another great Coke product sale this week. Six-pack 20 oz coca cola varieties - 5 for $11.00 ! Twenty pack cans are also on sale. Throw some of those in the fridge and cooler as you face the heat.
~
Western Family 24-pack waters are still a great buy at $3.99 each or 3 for $11.00.
~
Our produce has been pretty top notch lately with quality fresh vegetables and sweet melons. We love this time of year as local crops become available.
~
Thank you for all of your support through the week of the 4th of July. The parking lot was full as residents took advantage of easy parking and then walking to the events. We were thrilled with the first annual Soap Box Derby. It was fun to watch and the cub scouts did a great job with their home built race cars.
~
Don't forget the Farmers Market this weekend and we look forward to your next visit!


Fire Update


BOISE NATIONAL FOREST
July 13, 2012 at 9 AM

 Information Contact
 David Olson 861-0768

Last report unless significant activity occurs                                                                                                                       

Boise Fire Update

Boise, ID –Full containment of the 403 acre Avelene Fire is estimated to be achieved at 6 PM today. Currently it is 70 percent contained. 

The 144 firefighters will focus today on securing the fire lines and mopping up.  They will extinguish hot spots 100 to 300 feet from the fire perimeter into the burned area.

There are no evacuations in effect.  Public access on Grimes Creek Road is available, but travel is discouraged in the fire area due to the high fire traffic impacts.  

The fire has been fought by personnel from a variety of agencies, rural fire departments and out-of- state resources.  No structures were lost. The Idaho Department of Lands has prime management responsibilities for this fire through protection agreements with the Boise National Forest.

Full containment of the 110 acre C Fire, burning 12 miles east of Donnelly in Valley County is anticipated July 14 at 6 PM.  Currently it is 70 percent contained. There is a fire line totally around the fire, but some of it is not considered fully secured.  The fire is smoldering.  An Infra-red flight was conducted last night to pinpoint hot areas adjacent to fire lines. Cooling of hot spots and mop up 100 to 300 feet into the fire perimeter will be a focus of work today by the 173 firefighters.

Two helicopters will be used to drop water on hot spots and deliver equipment. 

An area closure is in effect for Forest Roads 402B, 402C, 402D, 402G, and 402 G1 and Forest Trail 001 due to the fire activity and public safety.  


Thursday, July 12, 2012

BLOOD DRIVE ON FRIDAY!


THE RED CROSS NEEDS
YOU!

400 PEOPLE in Garden Valley
NEEDED TO DONATE BLOOD
(Location changed to)
GV School Multi-Purpose Room 

**FRIDAY, JULY 13**
1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

~YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU MIGHT NEED THEM! ~

~~When you donate in Boise,
you may donate in the name of
Terry Dee Elmore~~


Boise National Forest Fire Update

July 12, 2012,  at 9 AM                                                                     
David Olson 861-0768

                                              Boise Fire Update

Boise, ID – Idaho Department of Lands and Boise National Forest fire fighters will focus today on completing fire line construction and securing those fire lines already completed on the estimated 210 acre Avelene Fire located near the Clear Creek Sub-division off Grimes Creek Road in Boise County.  (Acreage reported earlier decreased due to better mapping)

The fire remains at 45 percent containment and fire managers commended the excellent work of the nearly 150 firefighters battling the blaze which started Tuesday afternoon.  Excellent support has come from the Clear Creek and Wilderness Ranch Rural Fire Departments.  Full containment is estimated July 13 at 6 PM.

Fire managers remain concerned with the forecasted extremely hot and dry conditions.  The fire has burned actively on the ground but largely stayed out of the tree crowns which have helped firefighters.  

The voluntary evacuation issued yesterday by Boise County Sheriff Ben Roeber remains in effect. The notice remains largely because of concerns with potential increased fire activity this afternoon. Public access on Grimes Creek Road is restricted in the fire area due to smoke and high fire traffic.   

The three fires that started on Tuesday burned together yesterday and the fire is under investigation. 

Four hand crews, nine engines, three helicopters and air tankers will be used today to battle the blaze. Two new crews arrived early this morning.

The C Fire, burning 10 miles east of Donnelly in Valley County is 30 percent contained and 6 fire crews and 2 helicopters will focus today on building additional fire line.  Over 150 firefighters are involved and they made excellent progress yesterday.  A Type 2 Team (Incident Commander Bob Sommer) assumed command of the fire this morning.  The fire is on Boise National Forest land, but is within the Southern Idaho Timber Protection Association fire response area.  Full containment of the fire is anticipated July 13 at 6 PM.  (end)

Davey's Bridge Construction Update

WEEKLY NEWSLETTER – July 11, 2012 ID PFH 24(10)

Davey’s Bridge
Construction Activities and Upcoming Work
Construction signs have been placed, clearing and grubbing operations and sediment control measure installation have begun in the North East section of the project. Clearing and grubbing will continue in the North West section of the project as well as the installation of sediment control measures.

Traffic Delays

Legacy Contracting Inc is scheduled to work Monday thru Thursday. Flagging operations may be required between the hours of 7AM and 5PM on these days with up to 15 minute delays. Traffic is currently being stopped at the intersection of Banks-Lowman Road and Middle Fork Road and at the East end of the project.

Alternate Routes No alternate routes are currently available
(editor's note: Exception--If you are coming from the east on Banks-Lowman Rd, look for a small green street sign-"Old Crouch Road"-west of Severence Sand; if you are leaving Crouch going east, head over the Crouch bridge and right, past the library.)

Contact Information
Construction Manager: Sean Jackson, Project Engineer
Mailing Address: 1119-A Banks Lowman Rd
Garden Valley, ID 83622
Office Phone: 208-462-5166
E-mail: sean.jackson@dot.gov

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

GV Rod Run


 3rd Annual
GARDEN VALLEY
ROD RUN

Hosted by

Grundy Classic Car Insurance

DATE:

SATURDAY JULY 28, 2012

MEET:

9:00 (HWY 55 & 44) HOME DEPOT PARKING LOT

(If you want to participate in the Rod Run to Crouch)

TIME:


10-4 IN DOWNTOWN CROUCH, IDAHO

SIGN UP:

IN FRONT OF RED ROOSTER ON MARKET ST.
(across from the Longhorn)

AWARDS:

2:00PM IN FRONT OF RED ROOSTER


ALL MAKES AND MODELS ARE WELCOME


50’S THEME AND MUSIC


AWARDS FOR BEST COSTUME
~

For more information, please contact...
Gene Baxter, Gene Baxter Insurance Advisor 208-861-7613
Or Maryann Steen, Red Rooster in Crouch 208-462-2616
~


EVERYONE-PLEASE TUNE YOUR RADIO’S TO 97.5 Crouch’s Golden Eagle Radio!



Monday, July 9, 2012

Boise Art Educator Pushes James Castle

Artist James Castle at the Heart of Boise State Art Professor’s K-12 Curriculum Project
Email This Post

Posted By Kathleen Tuck | Jun 28th, 2012 - 8:56 am | Posted In: College of Arts & Sciences, Top Story

Albertsons Library Special Collections

Art educator Kathleen Keys firmly believes that no Boise State art education student should graduate without an understanding and appreciation for Idaho self-taught artist James Castle. She’ll be even happier when K-12 students learn the same lesson.

Castle, who was born in Garden Valley and lived as an adult in Boise, worked almost solely with found materials salvaged from items such as mail, food boxes, labels and magazines. He drew using a mix of soot, charcoal and saliva and fashioned tools from sticks and other objects. During his lifetime, only a handful of people recognized the brilliance behind his work. Since his death in 1977, his art has been exhibited nationally and internationally.

Keys is so inspired by Castle’s work that she is taking a semester sabbatical to coordinate with educators across the state to develop curriculum for K-12 classrooms. The James Castle Curriculum Project is being funded in part by an $8,465 grant from the Idaho Commission on the Arts.

“I believe that critical and creative engagement with the history of significant artists and artworks that explore what it is to be human is especially important for inspiring innovative ways of thinking about and being in the world,” Keys said.

Keys first became familiar with Castle in about 2004, and her interest was further piqued by a Boise Art Museum exhibition in 2005. BAM has the largest body of Castle’s work in a public collection. In addition, representation of the Castle estate is overseen by Boise’s James Castle Collection & Archive (formerly the J. Crist Gallery).

Keys soon began incorporating Castle’s history and innovative techniques into her art education courses at Boise State, where students received it with enthusiasm. But as an art educator, she kept thinking there should be more resources available.

“Castle’s trajectory — his national and international renown — has really taken off over the last several years,” she said. The Philadelphia Museum of Art has a substantial collection, and along with loans from BAM, the James Castle Collection & Archive and other public and private donors, organized and toured “James Castle: A Retrospective” in 2008-09. Additionally, the American Foundation for Self Taught Artists produced a documentary titled “James Castle: Portrait of an Artist” in 2008.

While museums such as those in Boise and Philadelphia often incorporate important artists like Castle into their education components, these high-quality units tend to be limited in their reach after the exhibitions close. And with most experts on Castle’s life and works living in the Treasure Valley, it seemed logical to Keys that a far-reaching curriculum should be developed right here in Idaho.

Keys proposes to create curriculum that will explore Castle’s “life, creative practice and extremely imaginative, innovative and prolific body of artwork, and thus the ways that [he] artistically made sense of the world.” Ideally, the results will then be published in a book or online.

While collaborative methods of developing curriculum are not uncommon, Keys will widen the scope to include several groups of artists and educators from across Castle’s home state. She’ll spend the fall 2012 semester organizing teacher development workshops to explore the major themes in Castle’s work, including the importance of place and his creative use of materials, and then facilitate a continuing process of collaborative curriculum development with interested partners and participants.

Keys hopes this work will eventually lead to in-depth curriculum offerings on other significant artists. By keeping the appeal broad, she also believes the final product will be of value to educators in other cities and countries who are interested in bringing self-taught artists into their teaching and learning environments.

“Material about James Castle’s work is always well received by university students,” Keys said. “This is fascinating content to take into their teaching lives.”

If you are interested in learning more about, or participating in, the James Castle Curriculum Project, contact Keys at kathleenkeys@boisestate.edu.




Thursday, July 5, 2012

Boise County Apologizes for Prosecutor Twilegar

BY KATY MOELLER
© 2012 Idaho Statesman

The apology is to former Commissioner Fred Lawson and his wife, Marla, for damage to their reputations they might have suffered due to the “unauthorized and improper actions” of Prosecutor Ron Twilegar.

Tuesday’s apology was part of a settlement agreement that the county reached with the Lawsons, who filed a civil suit in December 2010.

So what’s this all about?

Boise County Commissioner Bob Fry said Tuesday that Twilegar filed a charge of misuse of public funds against Fred Lawson because Twilegar had issues with how much the interim prosecutor had been paid while serving the county, prior to Twilegar’s election.

He “thought they were overpaying that prosecutor and considered that a misuse of public funds,” Fry said.

Fry said he did not know how much was paid. He said the salary budgeted for the Boise County prosecutor when Twilegar came into office was $50,000. Fry said Twilegar couldn’t legally sue his own client — the commissioners — so he filed the suit after Lawson left office.

The felony charge was filed in October, 2009, for actions alleged to have occurred in October 2008, according to Idaho court records. It was dismissed in November 2009.
Lawson filed his suit against the county in December 2010. The county settled June 1.
The suit alleged malicious prosecution, abuse of process, libel and violation of the Lawson’s First Amendment rights. Lawson’s lawyer said $80,000 was paid to his client — $30,000 on behalf of the county, $50,000 on behalf of Twilegar.

In a press release Tuesday, the county said that Twilegar brought “unsupported and groundless” charges against Lawson. “The county acknowledges, as did the special prosecutor assigned to the case, that the charges lacked probable cause and could not be ethically pursued by the county,” the statement said. The release said Twilegar had been directed by commissioners to cease his “highly unprofessional secret private investigation.”

Reached on his cellphone Tuesday, Twilegar said he had not seen the release and could not comment. Lawson did not return a call Tuesday.

Fry said commissioners received a letter of resignation from Twilegar at their Monday meeting, effective Aug. 6.

Twilegar is running in November for the job of Ada County prosecutor. A Democrat, Twilegar qualified as a write-in candidate for the general election.

Katy Moeller: 377-6413