May at the Senior Center

The Garden Valley Senior Center is pleased to announce that starting next week,  Dinners will be served on Wednesdays & Fridays, from 6:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. And we now have a new cook!!! Mitch Ignatich has accepted our offer of employment and as of Thursday, April 26, 2012, he is officially our Dinner Cook and not just our Awesome Volunteer!!! 
PLEASE COME HELP WELCOME HIM TO OUR CENTER!

Breakfast will continue to be prepared for you by Marcie Pyorre, coordinator, and Donna Landauer, Volunteer Extraordinaire, and served on Thursdays, from 9:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

Our Free Fit & Fall Proof Exercise Class will now be on Wednesdays & Fridays, led by Ione and sponsored by Central District Health Department, at 4 p.m.

Granny’s Closet will be open now Wednesdays before dinner from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., Fridays, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. (until dinner), Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and whenever you see the open flag outside Granny’s Closet otherwise.

The Quilt Guild will still be here the 2^nd and 4^th Wednesday of each month (until June 13^th), from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. At which time, they take a break until September.

The Garden Valley Senior Center Board Meetings will still be on the 2^nd Tuesday of each month until our by-laws are changed.

For May, our Board Meeting will be on Tuesday, May 8^th at 3 p.m. Volunteers from the Crouch Ambulance will be here at 4 p.m. We  will have some training on how to use our AED machine and the training is open for anyone who would like to attend. There is no charge.

AARP will be holding their semi-annual Driver Safety Class on Thursday, May 10^th, from 10am to 1pm and on Friday, May 11^th, from 9am to 12pm. Cost is $12 for AARP members or $14 for non-members. You must be able to attend both days to receive your certificate of completion.

The Cub Scouts Leadership Meetings will continue to be on the 2^nd Thursday of each month at 7 p.m.

Friday, May 18^th, from 11am to 1pm, attend our FREE Senior Fraud Prevention and Detection Workshop. Drinks and snacks will be served. Pre-registration is appreciated but not required.

Saturday, May 19^th, from 10am to 12pm, Valley Hi will be holding its annual Subdivision meeting.

The Annual Memorial Day Yard Sale, our fundraiser for our general fund, will be on Saturday, May 26^th from 9am to 5pm. We will be having BBQ Hot Dogs &Hamburgers on the deck from 12pm to 3pm for a fundraiser for our ever struggling nutritional fund. Your donations for our yard sale are welcome at anytime!!!

Our Monthly Menu Selection Committee will now be meeting on the last Wednesday of each month at 11am. Please come share your input on our dinner and breakfast selections.

The Translator’s Board Meeting will still be held on the last Thursday of each month at 7pm.

OUR NEW OFFICE HOURS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

Monday – 10am to 12:30pm
Wednesday – 11:30am to 7:30pm
Thursdays – 7:30am to 12:30pm
Fridays - 11:30am to 7:30pm

We are striving to help our local seniors and our local community. Thank all of you for your support.

Thank you,

Marcie Pyorre, Coordinator

Garden Valley Senior Center
261 S. Middlefork Road
Garden Valley, ID 83622
E-mail: gvseniors@frontiernet.netPhone/Fax: (208) 462-3943

Antique Cell Phones

By

Rich Smith

A couple of months ago I failed to empty my pants pockets before placing them in the wash and my cell phone went through the washer. It came out clean as a whistle but totally dead.  Somehow laundry soap, hot water, and electronics are incompatible. 

I went to the Verizon store to buy another one and asked the salesman for a simple, no frills phone, just like the one Jitterbug offers. “I don’t want a glowing pink phone that is as thin as a credit card, has pin-head-sized keys, and a screen that I have to wear my glasses to read. I don’t want to text, download games or quirky apps, read my e-mail, take or send photographs, play annoying ring tones, or download TV shows.  I just want a telephone, you know like the device that Alexander Graham Bell invented, and one that has simple menus, keys that fit my thumb and a screen that doesn’t need a magnifier to read in bright light.” 

The young man looked baffled, like he was talking to someone who just got off a 19^th century banana boat.  “But they all come with these features,” he explained.  “What you really want is this brand new vibrant green wiz bang gizmo that talks to you, will perform your spoken commands, has a 10 mega pixel screen, can take National Geographic quality photographs, search the internet to find the nearest gas station, answer your prosaic questions, and tell you where you are at any time.  And all this can be yours for only $246 plus our two year irrevocable contract.”  “I don’t want those features,” I groused, “and by the way I know where I am.  I’m a store that doesn’t sell what I want.  I think I’ll go over to Wal-Mart.”

Another much older and wiser clerk overheard our conversation, and said to wait while he went in the back.  He emerged a few minutes later with a dust covered box.  “Here is a 2009 version cell phone that we no longer sell or service, but I can offer it to you for only $52 if you extend your two year irrevocable contract (ever try to get out of one of these contracts?).

The ancient device was a beautiful flip phone housed in a black plastic case with a large easy to read screen and big keys. It didn’t have any of the useless features I didn’t want. It rang just like a real telephone and only needed to be flipped open to answer an incoming call. I immediately fell in love with it, but the phone came with a ominous warning: “There is no warrantee implied or otherwise with this phone.” The salesman added the following caveat. “Replacement batteries are not available, so if the battery dies you will be out of luck.” 

 I can only hope that the battery lasts longer than the irrevocable two year contract that I signed.

Commissioners Analyze Ballot Question

BOISE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS RELEASE – April 24, 2012

IDAHO CITY– Boise County Commissioners have entered into an agreement with Zions Bank to provide financial advisor services. The Board is committed to achieving a solution to paying the Alamar debt. To date, $2.25 million has been paid. The balance owing is $3.15 million accruing interest at 5.5%.

On April 5 ~63-1305A became law allowing Boise County voters to decide whether to allow Boise County a restricted revenue stream which would allow a loan through the municipal bond market to pay off the judgment. Additionally the Commissioners have found in the 2012 budget another $500,000 to buy down the Alamar debt.

Budget Increase – YES

• Allows using a bond to refinance Alamar debt • Alamar debt paid in full • Current 5.5% interest = $713K Potential Bond 2.5% interest = $286K. Potential savings of $427K in interest • Budget Increase in place only until Alamar "bond" is paid • Mandates all budget increases to pay Alamar debt is returned to FY2012 Property Tax level ($3.4 million)

• Forces County to have level or reduced budgets

• Forces County to follow a strict repayment schedule  Use the 3%  Use surplus fund balances  THEN calculate up to maximum .001 levy rate for the annual payment

•Creates level of certainty for residents and future investments in Boise County

Budget Increase – NO

•Alamar debt - $3.15 million at 5.5% interest is still DUE

•Boise County provides annual income to Alamar at 5.5% interest

•Starts lawsuit against Idaho Tax Commission

•Taxpayers will bear the cost of additional attorney fees

•Boise County will end up paying to resolve the conflict between the State Constitution and State Statutes
It is essential for Boise County to achieve certainty for its residents and move beyond the Alamar devastation. Keep checking the website www.boisecounty.us for information as it becomes available. Commissioners invite questions and comments. Please contact: Bob Fry, 208 365-8705, fryrobert47@gmail.com ; Terry Day, 208 392-9505, tday@co.boise.id.us ; or Jamie Anderson, 208 462-3439, jamiea@frontiernet.net .

Potential Budget Savings Identified by Department Heads and Elected Officials

The table below is a preliminary estimate of funds that might be available after the ballot measure passes to pay down the principal amount remaining of the Alamar judgment debt prior to bonding. All of the amounts are based on the assumption that "nothing unexpected happens". The table is an example of savings that may be available, although the sources might be different. No reduction of county salaries is contemplated, but vacancies might go unfilled temporarily to save payroll costs. The Board of Commissioners is committed to minimizing the effect of this debt on the taxpayers of Boise County and will find ways to accomplish that goal. Department	Possible Budget Savings		Sources of Reductions
Clerk/Auditor	$3,000		Unexpended supply budget, defer computer purchase
Assessor	$1,800		Defer capital outlay, 20% salary savings for one position
Treasurer	$11,550		Cut staff training, defer computer purchase, cut elected official training, reduced warrant expense
Commissioners	$3,440		Cut telephone expense, reduce travel
Coroner	$950		Reduce Supplies, defer vehicle maintenance, reduce supplies
Emergency Management	$ 16,769		Retirement benefits not used, reduced health insurance cost, 2 months unpaid leave, reduced field expense, reduce training
General Reserve Account	$60,000		Unexpended this Fiscal Year, will need to be replenished for next Fiscal Year
General Operations	$ 4,500		Reduced Heating costs due to high efficiency heating system, defer replacement of building maintenance vehicle
Planning and Zoning	$ 28,000		Salary savings from holding position open, using part-time temporary employee
Capital Improvements	$ 30,000		Delay planned move of Prosecutors' office into old library building
Sherriff	$14,500		Reduce Bailiff costs, reduce training, reduce inmate medical, reduce inmate housing costs
General Operations, Justice	$400		Reduced snow removal costs
Prosecutor	$5,056		Reduce Field Expense, telephone, expert witness, travel, defer capital expenditure
District Court	$16,000		Reduce Professional Services, Felony L&L, defer capital equipment
Community Justice	$2,000		Position held open temporarily
Junior College Tuition	$75,000		Possible surplus to be moved at end of year, dependent on numbers of students
Litigation Expense	$ 275,000		Will not need as much as anticipated due to avoiding suit with Tax Commission
TOTAL		$547,965

~ Commissioner Anderson Will Be At Spring Fling 
To Answer Any Questions You May Have ~

GV Chamber Update!

Don’t forget…

 · Friday morning marketing meeting, 9:00 at Wild Bill’s.

 · Sign up for Spring Fling Chamber Booth this Saturday (4/28) from 10:00-4,
 Downtown Crouch (our booth will be outside the Community Hall.

       · Come on down to Spring Fling and support your community; remember this is our (the Chamber’s) big fund raiser for scholarships for the 2 deserving High School Seniors.
       · We will once again have a jail (I don’t know what happened to the one we had years ago). Anyway, you can have someone arrested for $5.00; they can bail themselves out for another $5.00 or sit in Chamber jail for 20 minutes. Ben Roeber will be our guest “Sheriff” for an hour, so come on down and watch the fun and support the local members and shops!

The handmade flags (made by our local quilters) are beautiful and some are almost ready to be purchased, after the grommets are attached to hold them in place. Please contact me if you are interested in purchasing one for the front of your business (just like the holiday flags). They will be available to Chamber members only. (We will figure out a price on Friday at the Marketing meeting; it will probably be around $20.00 each.)

If anyone would like to have a booth at the Exergy tour, we have been given permission to set up our own since they will be leaving from here and going to Idaho City. The booth place is still being determined, but will be outside. The spaces will be free to Chamber members, non-chamber members will be charged a minimum fee of $25.

~ A message from one of our members, Deb Drake, RN & President of the GVFD Auxiliary…

I am helping the organizers with the North Fork Championship Kayak Race on June 8 & 9. On Saturday, June 9 from 8 – 4, there will be a Whitewater Festival in the park. There will be some sporting vendors from Boise, food and arts/crafts. We would like to offer any local vendors a complimentary booth this year.

If you are interested, please let me know. Deb Drake drakedeb@msn.com

Notes From GGVChamber of Commerce

April 19 Meeting

SELECTED DELEGATIONS

Clean Up Day

·         May 19^th @ 10am – meet downtown Crouch – all community members invited to help clean up around town and down the Middlefork Rd. to the Hwy.

·         Toni Palmiotto announced that Young Life “Bags for Bucks” will be cleaning up the Middlefork Rd. north as far as they can go on May 4^th as a fund raiser for camp.  Any donations to them are helpful.  If you see the kids on the side of the road, stop and make a donation.

·         Spring Fling Update – Carol Scharf:  Spring Fling is next Saturday, April 28^th.  There is one booth space left.  If anyone would like to set up a booth, contact Carol.  There will be a raffle as a fund raiser if anyone would like to donate an item for the raffle.

No update on the T-shirts as Lorraine Bollinger is out of town.  However, Diane did talk about the vests that are available for purchase for $29.95 to members.  Diane sent out an email to members with the information, so if you did not get it, let her know.

Rich Smith, local author of Powerless, gave a brief synopsis of the book.  Books were available to purchase for $20 and he was available to sign them.

Laurel Judy, Advertising Director for Idaho Business Review, gave a presentation on the different types of advertising and what you should look for when advertising.  She discussed radio, TV, and print. 

NEW MEMBER UPDATES

Kathleen Wilson – Syringa Floral & Gift 

New floral & gift shop - where Dahlia’s used to be.

Anna Ross – Raven’s Nest

Art, Crystals, Teas, Essential Oils – where the book store used to  

 Also, Please welcome our newest members:

Jackie Gainer, an Individual member

Miller Enterprises, HSB

Rajun Cajun Bed & Breakfast

Diane Caughlin, President

Garden Valley Chamber of Commerce
PO Box 10
Garden Valley, Idaho 83622
208-462-5003 info@gvchamber.org

Garden Valley Market Update: Spring Fling, Deals and More!

We hope to see many of you at Spring Fling this Saturday from 10am – 4pm. It’s the town’s opportunity to welcome back our Snowbirds, welcome new neighbors and welcome new businesses (Syringa Floral and Gifts and Ravens Nest). This year there will be a small petting zoo for the kids, a town jail where with a donation, you can place someone in jail and another donation will get them out. Many of the local businesses will have new items and specials on display. There will also be an all day arts and crafts fair at the Community Hall!

~
At the Market, you can take advantage of our Spring Fling sales starting with fresh produce. You’ll find Cucumbers 2 for $1, Cluster tomatoes 99 cents lb , Celery 89 cents bunch, Dole Shredded lettuce 99 cents and much more. In our meat department, we’ll have selected grilling meats 10% off all day Saturday and Sunday.

There’s great pricing on many other items throughout the store all week long. It’s the end of our April 30 day deals, so come on down while supplies last.

 We received more of our Summer inventory this week such as:

 ~ Heirloom Organic tomato plant starter seeds

~ A colorful selection of Summer hats from baseball caps to sun hats

~ Garden Benches

~ Patio Umbrellas

Don’t forget two important items – Voting ends May 2^nd for Carolyn Arnold – our GV finalist in the Hometown Grocer Essay contest. You can read her essay and the other 19 finalist’s essays at www.yourhometowngrocer.com

The other reminder is for our customers over the age of 60! Every Thursday they will receive 10% off their purchases with the use of their 60 Plus card. Please pick one up at our Customer Service desk.

We look forward to your next visit!

Greg and Gerold
Garden Valley Market
208 462-3817
greg@gardenvalley-market.com

Rocky Canyon Burning Tues, April 24

The burn is west of Hardscrabble Campground

Rocky Canyon Underburn on the Emmett District

Looks like a window for Tuesday afternoon. Temps are coming down and the prescription is lining up.

Burn Boss-Tam Cook

Duty Officer- Josh Erickson

Contingency-Engine 461-Helicopter with Bucket

Target acres approx. 2000 give or take-Priority drainage is Bell Creek-Burn Block 2 of the Rocky Canyon Project. Lat/Long 44.22N by -115.92W. River runs along bottom of unit and snow is surrounding burn block. At least for awhile.

Briefing at GV 10:30 with a start time of 1300.

Poorman showed no smoke through the heat this weekend. This was a good test.

Syringa Club James Castle Reception Photos!

Even big kids have fun with James Castle!

Syringa Club plants will be for sale at Spring Fling
inside the Commuity Hall.

Carol Smith and Ione Messick getting ready for
the reception.

Roscoe and Linda Harrold with
Library Director, Kathy Smith between them.

Gotcha! Cort Conley, Director of Literary Services at Idaho
Commission on the Arts, was extremely supportive of this project!
That's Marlo Glauser back there.

Syringa Club thanks Idaho Commission on the Arts and Cort Conley; National Endowment for the Arts; the Idaho Legislature; Artist in Residence, Troy Passey; Richard and Georgianna Goetsch; Marlo and Gary Glauser; GV School Superintendent Randy Schrader; Marla Edgerton and teachers at the school; Kim Bosse and the Crouch City Council; Lois Heffernan and David Bagnard; all the students who were involved with the project; and Syringa Club members who helped make it  happen.

BE SURE TO VISIT SYRINGA CLUB'S BOOTH AT SPRING FLING, APRIL 28.

INSIDE THE COMMUNITY HALL

PLANTS AVAILABLE WILL BE SYRINGA, CINQUEFOIL, NATIVE CURRANT,

RUGOSA AND WESTERN SAND CHERRY.

Bids Wanted on Weilmunster Park Pavilion

Pre-Bid Information Meeting for the Pavilion Contract:

The Garden Valley Recreation District will be hosting an informational meeting for contractors interested in bidding on the construction of the new pavilion.

The meeting will be Wednesday, April 25, from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., at the Garden Valley Library Community Room.

Contractors wishing to bid must hold a public works license. Bid instructions and plans for the pavilion will be available at the meeting. The structural engineer will also be present for questions.

Bids are due MAy 23, 2012.

For more information, please contact

Kari Wier kariwier@frontiernet.net

or Linda Bass lbass2@frontiernet.net.

 

News From GV Market!

NEIGHBORLY NEWS

Our update this week is short and sweet. For the upcoming weekend which is forecast to be warm and sunny, don’t forget to pick up your Grilling supplies and meats at the Market. Beautiful fresh produce is available with an added bonus on bananas….only 49 cents a lb!!!!

~

Our Spring/Summer inventory has started to arrive. This week, check out bandanas, flip flops, gardening supplies and new toys for the kids.

~

News for our Seniors -The Garden Valley Market has begun a “60 Plus” program. Every Thursday, local residents over the age of 60 will receive a 10% discount on their grocery shopping. Alcohol, Tobacco and Gasoline are excluded. You must have a 60 plus card participate and the card must be presented when you purchase your groceries. To pick up a card, please come to the Customer Service Desk. We will also be at the Garden Valley Senior Center on Tuesday, April 24^th. Local resident means Boise County, so we hope to see our friends from Lowman, Placerville, Centerville and Banks, as well as Garden Valley.

~

We’re looking forward to introducing our bulk bin section over the next month. We are going to start with nuts and spices, but would love your feedback on what you would buy out of bulk bins.

~

Lots of great buys in the Market as always this week, so we hope to see you soon!

~

Have a great weekend!

Greg and Gerold

Garden Valley Market

208 462-3817

greg@gardenvalley-market.com

Boise Basin Job Creation Meeting on CuMo

John Cottingham

Contributed by John Cottingham

Job Creation and Retention Council

~ Major changes have occurred at the CuMo Exploration Project. The primary PR person at Scott Peyron & Associates for the CuMo Project has changed to Noelle Lovern, and the Project Manager has changed to Kyle Fend. The changes reflect the scope of work on the project of permitting and core drilling by Kirkness Drilling. We have sent CuMo a letter describing the need for them to support the "Boise County Adventures" program to demonstrate their support of all the businesses that are part of the tourism industry in Boise County. That is most of the businesses.

We have sent an invitation to the new CuMo people to come to a Boise Basin Job Creation and Retention Council (JC/RC) meeting that should turn into a Boise County JC/RC meeting that will define how CuMo will support all of our JC/RCs in our efforts to promote jobs in Boise County. That invitation said:

 ~

Hi Noelle!

Nice to meet you today. The Boise Basin JC/RC is planning to meet at the Centerville fire house on either May (4 or) 11. We would like you as the new PR person, and Kyle Fend, the new project manager, to join us. There are 3 topics for discussion:

1 - The "Boise County Adventures" promotion that will support the businesses that cater to the tourist industry in Boise County, presently the largest employer. If we want them to testify positively at permitting hearings we should demonstrate CuMo's commitment to them.

2 - The cell tower project on which we have been working. Our hope is to bring Verizon or Century One cell service to Boise County and the way to justify that is the potential CuMo mine. We want CuMo to put some pressure on Verizon in particular because if the mine should open, cell service will be a requirement. It will take 3 years to get that service up and running and that is about the right schedule for the exploration project completion at the earliest so we have time.

3 - Last, if the mine does open, we have at least 3 years to get the skill sets of local residents up to the requirements for the mine. We plan to work with the State of Idaho to provide adult education to accomplish that and will need CuMo support for that program. It will help all the citizens of Boise County whether the mine opens or not. We will base the education program on the Thompson Creek Mine experience so will make NO assumptions regarding the potential CuMo mine. We will need support, however.

These are the items on the agenda, along with some other items. Let us know which of the dates you and Kyle can attend. You will find us very forthright. We need to know from this meeting if the Boise County JC/RC should continue to be an overt supporter of the mine or an intervenor. We can probably get the same objectives accomplished either way, but we would prefer to be a supporter.

Let us know, please. -- John

~ It is important that all the JC/RCs be represented at the meeting, which will be held at the Centerville Fire Station at 6 p.m., on May 11. I know that each of us doesn't like the roads to Centerville, but it is centrally located for all of us. If you would let me know how many you think will attend, that will be helpful. The room is not very large and we need to plan accordingly. We will put out meeting notes after the meeting for those who cannot attend, but they are never as good as being there in person. 

Many thanks -- John

John B. Cottingham
28 Southfork Lane
PO Box 802
Garden Valley, ID 83622
ID Phone: 208-462-3178
AZ Phone: 623-975-4213
Cell: 208-908-3818 (Verizon)
Email: cottinghmj@aol.com

County Commissioners Discuss Ballot Question

BOISE COUNTY
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
~
P.O. Box 1300
Idaho City, Idaho 83631
(208)392-4431
Fax: (208)392-4473
~
Terry C. Day, District I Commissioner; Jamie A. Anderson, District II Commissioner; Robert A. Fry, District III Commissoner Chairman; and Mary T. Prisco,  Clerk to the Board

April 17, 2012
IDAHO CITY

– Boise County Commissioners want to make sure information you have about the May 15th Special Election for a Budget Increase is accurate and timely. Candidate forums throughout the county are engaging voters in the discussion.

Monday’s Commissioners’ meeting included a presentation by Cameron Arial, Vice President of Public Finance with Zions Bank, on the mechanics of bonding and the benefits of pooled borrowing through the Idaho Bond Bank.

Boise County will retain Arial for financial advisor services. There is no out-of-pocket expense to the county at this time and he would be paid only if a bond is sold and with those proceeds. Arial will provide the County with specific estimates of the costs per $100,000 of assessed value for various term lengths.

Taxpayers will have this information as soon as Commissioners receive it. Watch for next week’s article and keep checking the website www.boisecounty.us for information as it becomes available.

Concerning the ballot question, (see the actual ballot language below) the new law stipulates the required ballot language and the Commissioners knew it was not as specific as some would like. The Board emphasizes that the impact of the budget increase is to pay the Alamar judgment only. Voting for the budget increase will allow Boise County to refinance the Alamar debt with a bond at a lower interest rate. Voting for the budget increase will provide an end to searching for legal remedies.

If the budget increase is approved, current and future commissioners will be forced to follow a strict repayment schedule as outlined in Idaho Code 63-1305A. The Commissioners must use the maximum amount of property tax permitted (3%), all forgone amounts, and all surplus funds to pay the debt first and the special election budget increase second. The levy rate is calculated on the remaining payment balance and cannot exceed 0.1% which equals $100 per 100,000 assessed value. When the Alamar debt is paid in full the taxpayers are protected from further use of the budget increases by a mandatory return to 2012 tax collection levels.

Commissioners invite questions and comments. Please contact: Bob Fry, 208 365-8705, fryrobert47@gmail.com ; Terry Day, 208 392-9505, tday@co.boise.id.us ; or Jamie Anderson, 208 462-3439, jamiea@frontiernet.net .

Talk Alamar With Commissioner Anderson!

Alamar Judgment Ballot Question

Please join

Commissioner Jamie Anderson

For one on one Q and A

April 17 in Garden Valley

8-11am at Wild Bill’s Bistro

Noon-2pm Garden Valley Market Café

5-7pm Garden Valley Senior Center

April 18 in Lowman

10am-1pm Sourdough Lodge

2-5pm Haven Hot Springs

April 19 in Garden Valley

9-11am Garden Valley Senior Center

Noon-2pm Wild Bill’s Bistro

5-7pm Garden Valley Market Café

If you can’t make one of the scheduled times, please email
your questions or concerns to jamiea@frontiernet.net or
call 208 462-3439

Boise County's website

http://www.boisecounty.us/ has been updated to include an Alamar Judgment
tab.  We are in the process of adding documents and please let me know if
there is additional information you would like.  Here is what I have for the
election link there so far (nothing posted there as of this morning).

Thanks for all your help.

Jamie

Student Art Reception: James Castle Project

Garden Valley Syringa Club is hosting a reception for their James Castle Project on Sunday, April 15, between 2:00 and 4:00 p.m., at Crouch Community Hall.


Castle has become celebrated in many parts of the world as "one of the most interesting discoveries in North America in the 20th century".  He created fascinating and conceptual works out of found materials such as cardboard, string and soot. The artist was born deaf and never learned to read or write. He spent most of his life with his family, in Garden Valley. (See GV Daily News post Artist James Castle...1/16/2012)




Kindergarten, second, fourth and eighth grade Garden Valley School students participated in art workshops for three days this week, taught by Idaho Artist-in-Residence, Troy Passey. Mark that in the photos, all students have ear plugs, to experience what it was like for Castle to work. Art teacher Marla Edgerton, Passey and Syringa members marvelled at how quiet the room became once the plugs were in place and the concentration was a thing to behold!


The reception will include a student show inspired by Castle; film of the workshops; video on James Castle; and original works of art by Castle, owned by the City of Crouch, will be on view.
Refreshments will be served.





This project is supported in part by the Idaho Commission on the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Idaho State Legislature.There is no fee for this reception but donations will be gratefully accepted.

Some Folks Just Ain't Happy With Obamacare!

To my senior friends:

President Obama's landmark health care initiative, the Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act long touted as a means to control costs, according to the new study by the Congressional Budget Office will add more than $340 billion to the nation's budget woes over the next decade. The CBO originally claimed Obamacare would reduce the deficit. This accounting trick double counted the $500B the plan takes away from Medicare/Medicaid starting in 2014, just another Obama deception about the “affordable” health care bill. If the CBO corrects this double counting as they should, the new scoring says Obamacare will add about $1.2B to the deficit over the next decade. Should anyone be surprised by this?

While discussing Obamacare with a doctor friend, he said that he loses money on each Medicare patient he sees, and it he will soon lose more as Medicare further decreases his reimbursements. He thinks many doctors will either stop taking Medicare patients or just retire from active practice. Then just try to find another doctor who will take you. He says even now this is becoming an issue for many seniors, as many doctors and specialists have stopped taking Medicare patients. Just wait until 29 million uninsured people are added to the health care roles.  With fewer doctors in the business, getting to see one will be a long wait. I cannot even imagine the chaos that will explode in hospital emergency rooms.

Obama is nothing if not clever. He and the Democrats knew when folks found out what is in Obamacare, they would see it for what it is.  Bound to become an election issue, most of the draconian terms of Obamacare are designed not to take effect until after the 2012 election, most of it in 2014. The rules governing the implementation of Obamacare will be decided by an unelected committee reporting to the Health and Welfare Department.  This committee will decide which services will be provided and who can receive them.  We have already experienced their recent decision that will force all clinics and healthcare facilities regardless of affiliation to provide all employees with insurance for morning after (chemical abortion) pills and contraceptives.  Given such unilateral power, expect other decisions to follow.  Do you need a hip or knee replacement?  Oh, you are too old and do not meet our minimum H & W requirements.

Did you know the Medicare part B that now costs $96/month will increase each year until it is over $240/month after 2014?  Did you know the Advantage Medicare supplemental Health Care plans will end next year and those of us who are on it will have to sign up for other more expensive plans? Did you know that many supplemental Medicare plans will drop you? Our health care provider dropped us last year, and we had to find another plan with Blue Cross. Of course it was more expensive than the previous plan. We could not even afford the part D supplemental plans offered, so now we have no part D coverage.

Our best hope to correct this travesty is either 1) The Supreme Court throws out the entire Affordable Health Care plan in June. If they only throw out the unconstitutional mandate to buy insurance or pay a fine, then the rest of the plan must be funded with more taxes…or 2) Elect a Republican Congress and President who will then rewrite Obamacare keeping only the best of its affordable provisions that can improve healthcare and dump the rest of this mess into the wastebasket. We can only vote and hope.

And by the way, in another recent outrageous Obama sham, he claimed the SC had no business deciding on Obamacare, a law voted in by a “substantial majority of Congress”. Well, his misrepresentation of the Supreme Court’s job to review the constitutionality of law from a Constructional Law Professor is absurd. In addition, Obamacare was passed by only five votes in the House and no Republicans voted for it, not one. Without his last minute arm twisting of a dozen recalcitrant Democrat representatives, it would not have passed at all. Note that all those Democrats who, after claiming they would not vote for the bill, and then last minute voted for Obamacare, are no longer in congress. Good riddance.

Regards ~

Rich