“They kept me in the hospitalfor a week, put me on a treadmilland hooked me up to EKG ma-chines, but I walked away with aclean bill of health,” he said. “Ithappened again when we movedhere. At that point, the doctors said they were seeing somethings that could become prob-lems and that I wouldn’t see mydaughters get married if I didn’tchange.”

One doctor wanted to writehim a prescription for Lipitor, tohelp lower his cholesterol, butBryant lobbied for the opportu-nity to lower it naturally.

“He said he’d write me the prescription, anyway, but I threw it in the trash as I was walkingout the door,” he said. “When Icame back the doctor said, ‘itlooks like the Lipitor is workingfor you,’ and I told him, ‘I never took it.’”

Healthy Diet and ExerciseIronically, Bryant works for a company

that manufactures dietary pills and aides forother companies that market the products.Most television ads include the truth aboutdiet pills in small print at the bottom of thescreen: weight loss is usually achieved whenthe product is used “in conjunction with ahealthy diet and exercise.”

That’s how Bryant did it, no gimmicks and no pills. He started with an assessmentof the situation and took action from there.

“When I first started out, I hopped onGoogle and found a calorie calculator andtyped in my height and weight,” he ex-plained. “It told me I needed 7,000 calories a day to maintain where I was, but I was stillgaining at the time and thought I must beeating about 8,000 calories per day. I starteddoing the math, and I thought, ‘man, I ameating so much food.’ I decided I couldn’t totally switch overnight to broccoli andchicken, so I cut back my calories to 4,000and just ate whatever I wanted as long as Ididn’t go over 4,000 calories. I didn’t want to feel like I was depriving myself.”Continued on page 2

Volume 6 • Issue 2 FEBRUARY 2015 www.theindnews.com

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDEAGLE, IDAHOPERMIT NO. 60ECRWSS

POSTAL PATRON LOCAL

New Feature:Everyonehas a Story

Page 2

ANIMAL CAREKringle's Korner, (S), pg 13Spoiled Dog Resort & Grooming, pg 7AUTOMOTIVE CARE & TIRESBig O Tires, pg 10BEAUTY & BARBEROpulence Salon & Spa, pg 8Todd Stewart, pg 2BUILDING SUPPLIESEvan’s Building Center/ACE Hardware, (E), Insert

COUNSELINGState of Mind Counseling, pg 14 DEPARTMENT STOREKings, pg 4

DINING & ENTERTAINMENTEl Mariachi Loco, pg 3EDUCATIONLittle Miracles Preschool, pg 11Stepping Stones Children’s Center, pg 6FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONIdaho Independent Bank, (S), pg 5FOODOlive and Vyne, pg 5FRAMINGFrame Works, pg 9HEARINGEagle Hearing, pg 11

HEALTH & WELLNESSDown to Earth Health Foods, pg 2Silk Touch Medspa, (E), pg 16Star Medical, pg 6HOME IMPROVEMENTBudget Blinds, pg 9JEWELRYStar Diamonds, pg 14LANDSCAPING, IRRIGATIONEagle Tree & Shrub, (E), pg 13ORTHODONTICSStar Dental, (S), pg 7, Insert REAL ESTATESmack Realty Group, Insert

SENIOR SERVICESEdgewood at Spring Creek Assisted Living, pg 3The Cottages, (E), pg 8VISION CAREArtisan Optics, pg 13Eagle Vision One, (E), pg 15BUSINESS DIRECTORY, pg 11Ada EmissionsCarew RentalsFlowering Fist Tai ChiHandyman CanRon Bishop, RealtorStar TireSteve’s Auto Care

In this issue:

Businesses are noted for membership in the Chamber of Commerce: Eagle (E) or Star (S). Eagle Chamber of Commerce 939-4222, Star Chamber of Commerce 908-5476

Say you saw it in the Independent News

Free Delivering Community News to Eagle, Star & W. Ada County

HolidayPhoto Contest

WinnersPage 2 & 3

Eagle policetraining hits the 'bullseye'

Page 16

By Philip A. JanquartSTAR, Idaho – He once wore

size 60 pants and a 6XL shirt.Star resident Mark Bryant,

who played water polo in highschool and junior college, sayshe gradually gained weight fol-lowing his sports career, even-tually tipping the scale at over450 pounds.

He eventually lost 264pounds and was featured inthe December 2014 edition ofPeople Magazine. Bryant sayshe could never have imaginedgaining so much weight, butfell into an all-too typical trap.

“I was never a fat kid grow-ing up,” he said. “I was intosports and was pretty fit. I justkept eating like I was training.”

A contributing factor was thetransition from home-cookedmeals to college eating binges.

“It was the whole freedom of college,”Bryant added. “I come from a pretty poor family so the things that were cheap werebrown rice and vegetables and chicken. That’show I grew up. Then suddenly I had a job andmy own money and I was eating at places likeTaco Bell and thinking, “this stuff is soooogood!’ You keep plowing and the next thingyou know you’ve gained 20, 30, 40 poundsand you want to do something about it, butend up back at Taco Bell the next day.”

Bryant, 40, said his decision to find a solution was similar to a drug addict acknowl-edging his problem for the first time.

“The difference is that you have to eat andthere is a dealer on every corner, and it’scheap and it’s easy,” he said, admitting thethought of missing his three daughters’ weddings is, in part, what drove him tochange his life. “If I didn’t have people wholove me, and who I love, I might have said,‘who cares?’ If it was just up to me, I mighthave continued to indulge myself, but it’s notall about me.”

Bryant began changing his eating habitsabout three years ago, two years after movingto Star from California.

Fast forward to summer 2014: by then he had lost 264 pounds, the equivalent of another large human being. His efforts were

rewarded, in part, with a feature in PeopleMagazine.

“It wasn’t my idea,” he said. “It was mywife. This all started with a competition atthe gym where I work out, Anytime Fitness.They had a contest to win $10,000 for sharingyour ‘Anytime’ story. My wife, Rebecca, toldme I should tell my story, and that the moneywould almost cover the $12,000 it was goingto cost for cosmetic surgery. I don’t like to bethe center of attention, so I said no, but sheentered for me.”

The $10,000 went to a former soldier wholost one of her legs in Iraq and rehabilitatedat Anytime Fitness. The national media direc-tor, however, contacted Bryant and said thecompany had forwarded his story to People.

The man who shies from attention wassuddenly swept away to Los Angeles and NewYork for photo shoots and several interviewswith Good Morning America, EntertainmentTonight, Extra and Inside Edition.

“They all asked me the same question,‘what happened to make me want to lose all that weight,’ but I just told them I was fatand miserable,” Bryant said.Health Issues

Bryant says he suffered from a seriouspanic attack while still in California, one that was so significant that it mimicked aheart attack.

Star Man’s Weight Loss Story Appears in People MagazinePill manufacturer says diet and exercise key

Mark Bryant, before and after his transformational weight loss

VISIT AND SUPPORT YOUR COMMUNITY BUSINESSESFOR PRODUCTS, GOODS OR SERVICES COMPETITIVE WITH ANY TREASURE VALLEY BUSINESS FOR QUALITY & VALUE.

PAGE 2 • February 2015 PEOPLE The Independent News • www.theindnews.com

Spotlight on: Star resident, Jim Gollyhorn

By Melissa UptonStar resident, Jim Gollyhorn, is a champion.

As a Building Construction Technology (BCT)Instructor at Snake River Correctional Insti-tute (SRCI) in Ontario, OR, Gollyhorn is achampion of education, serving those whodesperately need the skills and confidencethat come with an education to break thecycle of crime. Numerous studies have suggested that education, especially post-sec-ondary education such as the BCT program,reduces recidivism, or repeat offending.According to the SRCI website, the correc-

tional institute, located in Ontario, OR, is amulti-security facility that opened in 1991. It is the largest prison in OR, housing approximately 3,000 inmates. In collaboration with Treasure Valley Com-

munity College (TVCC), the BCT program offers inmates an opportunity to earn a oneyear state certificate in construction. This education counts toward an associates de-gree. In order to qualify for the program, theprospective student must have 3-7 years lefton their sentence; have a GED or high schooldiploma, but no post-secondary degrees;have no history of escape; and pass reading,writing, and math assessments, as well as gothrough an interview process. There is a stu-dent capacity of 25 inmates; the BCT pro-gram is close to capacity. The students learnin a computer-based classroom and then aregiven supervised hands-on lab experience topractice their newly learned skills.Praising the BCT program, one student

said, “Because of the BCT program, I’ve beengiven a recommendation to the apprentice-ship program at the Pacific Northwest Car-penter’s Institute—and knowing that I havea job prospect when I get out of here is oneof the greatest things that I could ever askfor. Through the BCT program, I have devel-oped the skills and the mindset that it takesto succeed. I know that the education that Itake from here is something that will con-tinue to help me for the rest of my life.”When Gollyhorn began his position as BCT

instructor/administrator about a year ago, hesaw that, although the program was taughtfrom the National Center for ConstructionEducation and Research (NCCER) curriculum,the students were not receiving the associ-ated certification that came with that educa-tion. He worked to change that and did.

Because of Gollyhorn’s efforts, upon successful completion the BCT program,graduates now earn 3 certifications fromNCCER in Residential, Light Commercial,and OSHA safety, as well as the college-levelstate certificate in construction. These certifications are valuable proof of the student’s ability and knowledge in the construction field and give them the opportunity to gain employment after their incarceration.Gollyhorn has lived in Star for the past 3

years. Prior to living in the Treasure Valley,he was in Pocatello, working in a similar capacity at the Pocatello Women’s Correc-tional Center. Gollyhorn says there is not aday that he gets up in the morning dreadinghis workday. “This is my way of giving back,” he said

with a smile on his face. Gollyhorn has over40 years construction experience and com-pleted PhD work in community college lead-ership and construction management. Hevalues his work and values the relationshipshe has formed with his students.“A lot of people ask me if I’m ever scared

working there,” he said. “I tell them…notonce have I been scared.” It’s clear that Gollyhorn loves his work and feels a connection and bond with his students.“These guys have become my friends,” he explained. By educating the incarcerated,Gollyhorn is doing admirable work that has a direct positive impact not only on the lives of those trying to rehabilitate, butalso on our society. To learn more about the BCT program

at SRCI, visit http://www.tvcc.cc/about/locations_maps/northwest_center/.

EVERYONE HAS A STORYSTORY

The BCT shop

Jim Gollyhorn

The BCT computer classroom at SRCI

Continued from page 1Bryant lost 15 pounds in the first

month. He eventually cut the calories backto about 3,000 and incorporated weighttraining. Today, he is a slim 178 poundsand still allows himself to eat out every-day, but makes better menu choices.

“I eat pretty clean,” he said. “I start outwith a protein shake in the morning andeat Subway every day for breakfast. I havea steak, egg and cheese sandwich. Todaywe are heading to Panda Express, but instead of having the orange chicken, I’ll have the Teriyaki chicken without thesauce.”

Bryant says he doesn’t miss the days oftrying to find clothes that fit, not beingable to sit in a booth at a restaurant andpeople who stared at, and avoided contact

with, him. They are things that can leavelasting impressions, killing confidence and self worth.

He says through it all, his biggest fan,his wife, has always been there.

“People treat you different,” he said.“Kids are honest, and they just say, ‘thatguy’s fat,’ and you have to act like you didn’t hear it, that kind of thing. Now Ifeel like I go somewhere and people arefriendly and engageable, and I think, ‘wow,what a stigma to put on someone.’ I mean,I was the same person I am now. In fact, itmakes me appreciate my wife even morebecause I was already overweight when wegot married, then I gained a bunch more afterward, but she took me as I was, sawme as I was, and saw something in me. It tells me a lot about her.”

Mark Bryant’s Weight Loss Journey

And the Winner of our Holiday Photo Contestand a gift certificate to Olive and Vyne is...

Janice Pauly, EagleThis was my grandson’s first meeting with Santa.

The look on both their faces was absolutely PRICELESS.

By Frank Thomasen, Valley TimesEAGLE – Dale Dixon’s personal

story told at the January 13th Cham-ber of Commerce meeting driveshome how close insurance and otherscams are to all of us.“It’s a story with no resolution

yet,” said Dixon, Chief Executive Officer of the Better Business Bureau. “It’s still raw and real to me,losing $16,000.” He said his 14 1/2-year-old son is now old enough to be eligible for Driver’s Education. To compare costs, Dixon visited theGEICO web site to see what thatcompany would charge to add a third driver.“I thought it was quite too low,

only half of my existing rate,” he said.

Then he realized hehad been overcharged byhis insurance company$1,000 a year for 16 years.But when he tried to

complain to his agent, hewas referred to an admin-istrative assistant. “Therewas no level of servicethere,” Dixon said. “I hadconvinced myself I had anadvocate as an insuranceagent as opposed to a vacuum sucking themoney out of my pocket.”The moral of this tale?

Don’t assume things areas they appear.

Better Business Bureau CEO falls victim to insurance fraud

Dale Dixon, speaking atthe Eagle Chamber ofCommerce luncheon in

January

The Independent News • www.theindnews.com PEOPLE February 2015 • PAGE 3

By Philip A. JanquartClay Hatfield, the controversial Eagle High

School teacher suspended for saying “cuss”words and confronting students about dresscode violations, has decided to resign.The West Ada School District put the AP

Spanish and Native American History teacheron leave in October 2014 after receiving a let-ter complaining about his behavior and inter-actions with students.“Really, all I can say about the separation,

my resignation, is that it is effective Jan. 23,”he told The IndependentNews. “It was presented tothe board and approved, andputs to an end any pendingemployment matters betweenWest Ada School District andmyself.”Hatfield, 38, was scruti-

nized for his unusual style;he wears “gauges” andsported a Mohawk at onepoint.The letter written to the

school district specificallycomplained about his use of“cuss” words and discussions he had withstudents about dress code violations, accord-ing to former television reporter and The Independent News columnist, Gretchen Anderson.“The letter was written after he said ‘Hell

on Earth,’ called himself an ‘ass’ and had afrank discussion about dress code violations,”she explained. “He talked to a girl whoseshirt was too low cut and another girl whowas wearing a thong that said ‘Sex Bomb.’Then he tossed a student a book, so he couldput it on the shelf, but it accidentally hit himin the face.”A Nov. 5 hearing between Hatfield, who

hired legal representation, and the school

district was postponed and never rescheduled.Hatfield refused to say more on the

subject, only that he is currently seeking employment.“I’m still working on the job deal,” he said.Meanwhile, Hatfield supporters say he

should have fought to keep his position.Those supporters include current and formerstudents, and parents. A group of them cametogether to launch a social media campaignthrough the Facebook page “We Support Hatfield,” which had over 2,000 members,

and a petition onwww.change.org, which, as of Nov. 12, garnered over1,600 signatures in support oflifting Hatfield’s suspension.“The district wanted to wait

him out; they prolonged it,”said Anderson, who has a sonwho graduated from EagleHigh and a daughter who cur-rently attends the school. “Wewish he had been encouragedto fight. I don’t know what isbehind all of this, but you liketo think the administration is

trying to do its best for the school and thestudents. I think it’s a sad affair when a greateducator is let go for a few little things. Thepeople who liked him and cared for him werethe majority.”

Clay Hatfield and his son.

Eagle High School Teacher Resigns Following Suspension

Clay Hatfield supporters gathered for aformal protest in November.

Holiday Photo Contest Honorable Mentions...

Janet Blum, EagleMy favorite Christmas picture, when my

cat Ivanushka helps with the lights

Terry Gerow, StarThis picture of my first grandchild bornthis year. I am so blessed to have him!

Kimberly Parker, StarOur family photo from the ThunderMountain Line Santa Express.

This is the first holiday photo that we'veever had where all of us are smiling.

This was taken this year.

Noel and Carol Schoneman, StarThis is our favorite Christmas-in-Idahophoto because it was taken during ourfirst winter in Idaho and it is a constantreminder (as if we needed reminding) of the beauty of Idaho and its amazingvariety and proximity of wildlife. Thisphoto shows part of a herd of elk grazing in our back yard with the neighbor's decorated house in thebackground. Nearly every day presented sightings of elk, deer,

coyotes, fox, quail, hawks, and turkeys.It was the most wonderful introduction

to Idaho that we could imagine.Choosing just one winner was difficult.

Thanks to everyone who shared their photos.

PAGE 4 • February 2015 INNOVATION The Independent News • www.theindnews.com

By Philip A. JanquartSTAR, Idaho – Advanced Aviation Solutions,

LLC (ADAVSO) recently received an exemption bythe Federal Aviation Administration to use its Un-manned Aircraft System (UAS) in agricultural ap-plications.ADAVSO is the only company to receive an ex-

emption for agricultural use and only the 13thcompany in the U.S. to receive a commercial ex-emption.Other exemptions for the commercial use of

unmanned aviations systems include everythingfrom real estate to film companies. The technology is useful in agricultural appli-

cations because it allows farmers to identifyproblems with crops in a more accurate andtimely manner, according to ADAVSO Presidentand Chief Executive Officer Steve Edgar.“We provide the service and conduct the

flights,” he told The Independent. “The farmerwill use ‘cloud’ based technology to access thedata. The number of flights over the field differsfrom crop to crop, season to season. The farmershave to make decisions on what they need tohelp pinpoint stress on crops, such as bugs andweeds, and soil-related problems. Our system cansee that stress and allows us to give the farmercoordinates to locate it. He can go out there,check it out and custom tailor his water systemor make other modifications to eliminate thestress cause. This will obviously increase yieldper acre and concurrently save on operatingcosts.”Edgar says his company does not manufacture

the vehicle used for the flights, rather designsthe system used to collect the data.“We don’t manufacture airframes,” he said.

“We chose the eBee Ag vehicle, which is abouttwo and a half feet wide and 1.6-feet long. It’s al-most a delta wing and has four different sen-sors.”The eBee is a 1.5-pound airframe designed and

manufactured by senseFly Ltd., a company basedin Cheseaux-Lausanne, Switzerland.The airframe is constructed of foam and car-

bon, is battery operated and hand launched, ac-cording to the company’s website. It has a38-inch wingspan and can fly for up to 45 min-

utes, 56 miles per hour and up to 3,000 feetabove the ground. That means scouting up to2,500 acres per flight.Edgar says it took years to develop the system

he has married with the airframe.ADAVSO Partners form

EMPIRE UNMANNED, LLC “This is huge," Robert Blair told the web-based

Progressive Farmer. “We are able to fly legally andcommercially to provide an imaging service tocustomers."Owner of Three Canyon Farms outside

Kendrick, Idaho, Blair is also an internationallyrecognized advocate ofunmanned aircraft sys-tems for agriculture.Edgar, Blair and EmpireAirlines of Hayden, Idaho,have come together toform Empire Unmanned,LLC, which is moving for-ward with operationsusing Edgar’s FAA exemp-tion.“All three of us make a

great company,” he said.“Empire has vast business and aviation experi-ence. We are proud to partner with them. Theirsupport has been instrumental in getting this offthe ground. Empire Unmanned will initially beoperating in Idaho’s panhandle in March.”

The UAS is No DroneEdgar steers clear of calling his unmanned air-

craft systems “drones,” perhaps due to the nega-tive perceptions attached to the term, but morepractically, he says, because there is a real differ-ence.“Unmanned Aircraft Systems are more sophis-

ticated than drones,” he said. “For one thing,there is linkage communication architecture thatdoesn’t exist on a drone. There is a ground-basedcontroller. A drone flies a pre-programmed flightwithout a human in the loop; there is always ahuman at the controls of a UAS.” Enormous, $17 million weaponized “Reaper”

Unmanned Systems have been used by the CIAand the U.S. military for surveillance and in com-bat. Edgar says unmanned aircraft systems, how-

ever, are a “tool,” which can be used for photogra-phy, science and backyard fun, as well as militarysurveillance or in other military roles.The “surveillance” aspect is what kicks up dust

with many who worry about their privacy.“There is a lot of skepticism, but I could fly

over your house in a plane that has much moretechnology-based equipment and take a picture ofyour house and you wouldn’t even know it,”Edgar pointed out. “It goes on all the time. Let’snot get wrapped up in airborne sensors becausethey are everywhere. The reality is that there isalways an emotional reaction to things people

don’t have a full workingknowledge of. What peoplehear about drones is con-nected to the military.”Edgar says the real issue

is data: who is allowed tocollect it, how are they al-lowed to collect it andwhether they are using thecollected data for author-ized purposes.“The root question is the

illegal acquisition of data,”he said. “The collection method is not part of theargument. The reality is that legislating un-manned aircraft systems is not the answer be-cause it’s just another collection method. Youcouldn’t begin to legislate all possible collectionmethods. The question is the illegal acquisition.Cyber war is far more advanced than most realizeand the Koreans showed us that,” Edgar said, cit-ing the recent hacking issue at Sony Pictures. “Wedon’t need knee-jerk reactions; it’s like [playing]‘Whack-A-Mole.’ You simply cannot write enoughlaws to cover every collection method. We need tofind a way to control data collection withoutoverly restricting technology.”The FAA is currently working on the develop-

ment of a regulatory framework for safely inte-grating small, unmanned aircraft systems into theNational Airspace System. Unregulated commer-cial use could lead to disaster, but the FAA, underSection 333 of it’s 2012 Modernization and Reform Act, provides exemptions for companieslooking to take advantage of technology while the

FAA Grants Star Company’s Unmanned Aircraft System Exemption for Agricultural Use

ADAVSO's system

framework is being developed.“I understand why there is an incremental

approach because without it, there would be a fatality somewhere,” Edgar said. “How could youjustify a drone hitting a manned aircraft? Youcan’t have a lot of exemptions. It’s their (theFAA’s) obligation to cover safety. With this exemption, we recognize the responsibility andthe trust the FAA has granted us, it is our responsibility to act accordingly.” Edgar, a retired military and airline pilot, was

also an FAA rated Air Traffic Controller. He sayshis newly formed company, Empire Unmanned,is currently in discussions with Simplot, the U.S.Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Managementand others who are interested in implementingthe company’s system. “We have a number of actively on-going busi-

ness discussions, even applications for universi-ties,” he said. “flying for contract on ag researchfor universities is a business opportunity thathas literally popped up in the last week.”The company has been granted the FAA

exemption, but must still be cleared for flightover land through a Certificate of Authorization(COA), also granted through a process with theFAA.ADAVSO currently has COA request under

review for areas over the Treasure Valley and others in Idaho, as well as areas in eastern Oregon and Washington.For more information log on to www.adavso.com,

www.empireunmanned.com and www.three-canyonfarms.com.

The eBee AG

www.eaglepubliclibrary.org

~~~~~~~~~~~ ON-GOING PROGRAMS ~~~~~~~~~~~

The Library will be closed Monday, February 16, for Presidents Day.

Monday, February 2, 9, 23Baby Readers: 10:30 a.m.

(birth – 18 months) Stories, songs, and finger-plays for babies and their caregivers.

Monday, February 2, 9, 23Knee Deep in Legos: 4:00 p.m.

Weekly program for children ages 6 – 12 to usetheir creativity in building/designing with LEGOS.

Tuesday, February 3, 10, 17, 24Toddler Time: 10:30 a.m.

(18 months – 3 years) Stories, songs, and craftsfor toddlers and their caregivers.

Wednesday, February 4, 11, 18, 25Music & Movement: 10:30 a.m.

(birth – 5 years) Early literacy skills are builtthrough rhythm and motion in this interactive

program for young children and their caregivers.Wednesday, February 4, 11, 18, 25Tales to Tails: 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.

(5+) Practice your reading skills ---- read to afriendly, attentive dog! Sign up for a 15-minute

session at the Children’s Reference Desk.Wednesday, February 4, 11, 25

Teen Advisory Board (TAB): 4:15 p.m. (teens 14+) Earn volunteer hours, socialize

with your peers, and enjoy a small snack whilehelping your library in a variety of ways.

Saturday, February 7, 21AARP Tax-Aid: 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

(adults) Get assistance with your tax returns.Monday, February 2

“Oh Yeah, Make Me!” Makey-Makey: 6:00 p.m.(middle/high school) Play with Makey-Makey and

experiment with computer programming.

Tuesday, February 3, 10, 17, 24Afterschool Adventures: 4:15 p.m. (elementary)

February 3: Whatever Book ClubFebruary 10: Learn to make special Valentine

treats.February 17: Create a Mexican Inspired Yarn Picture

February 24: BINGO !Thursday, February 5, 19

Spanish Language for Kids: 4:15 p.m. (elementary) Join us for beginning Spanish conversation geared to school-age kids.

Thursday, February 5, 12, 19Homeschool Adventures: 2:00 p.m.

(elementary) Explore and learn about variouscountries in the continent of Asia.

Friday, February 6, 20,27Friday Afternoon Movies: 4:15 p.m. (all ages)

February 6: Puss in BootsFebruary 20 – Arthur and the Invisibles

February 27 – Treasure PlanetMonday, February 9

Pizza and a Movie: 5:30 p.m. (middle/high school) Bring a friend and see

Wall-E, a great film!Tuesday, February 10

Tea for You and Your Love: 6:30 p.m. (adults) Terry and Karen Hathaway of Joyful Teawill talk about the history of tea and provide

some tasty samples.

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

Wednesday, February 4, 11, 18, 25Pajama Story Time: 7:00 p.m.

(3 – 8 years) Come in your pj’s for stories,songs, a craft, and a bedtime snack.Thursday, February 5, 12, 19, 26Preschool Story Time: 10:30 a.m.

(3 – 5 years) Stories, songs, and crafts forpreschoolers and their caregivers.Thursday, February 5, 12, 19

Homeschool Adventures: 2:00 p.m. (elementary) Learning and fun for

homeschooling families. Friday, February 6, 13, 20, 27

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

with an emphasis on school-readiness skills. Friday, February 13, 27

Knitting Club: 10:00 a.m. (adults)Share your passion for knitting, learn new tech-niques, and enjoy socializing while creating itemsto be donated to various charitable organizations.

Saturday, February 7, 14, 21, 28Saturday Stories & Music: 10:30 a.m.

(all ages) Children from birth to age 6 and theirfamilies will build language and literacy skills

through books, songs, rhymes, and movementactivities.

EAGLE LIBRARY February Events

Wednesday, February 11Computer Class: 2:00 p.m.

(all ages) Learn how to use Pinterest.Thursday, February 12

Second Thursday Book Club: 7:00 p.m.(all ages) The selection for this month is

Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand.Friday, February 13 and Saturday, February 14

Friends Book Sale: Friday 2:00 – 6:00 p.m.;

Saturday 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.Come support your library while finding your next favorite book!

Tuesday, February 17How to Turn Your Creativity into Profitability:

11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.(adults) Presented by the Small Business

AdministrationWednesday, February 18

All Things Waffle: 4:30 p.m. (middle/high school) Cinnamon rolls, cookies andcakes. Everything tastes better when it is a waffle.

Monday, February 23Random Party Game Day: 6:00 p.m.

(middle/high school) Party games are ridiculous. But they are hilari-ously fun! Especially Musical Chairs of Death!

Wednesday, February 25Computer Class: 2:00 p.m.

(all ages) Android Tablet BasicsThursday, February 26

Chat with the Director: 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.Saturday, February 28

Adult Craft Time: 2:00 p.m.(adults) Create Beautiful Garden Plant Markers

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 CITY OF EAGLE February 2015 • PAGE 5

How about those Broncos? For many teams,after an award-winning coach moves on, rebuilding takes several seasons. Filling theshoes of a Coach Peterson would be intimidat-ing, to say the least. Yet, undeterred, CoachBrian Harsin has led the Broncos to a winningseason and triumph at the Fiesta Bowl his firstseason. Wow. The future seems to be brightindeed.Speaking of contending, we are still doing

so with the folks at Laguna Point. The path isfairly complete and the bridge, while expen-sive, is in and functional. The issue today isintrusion by various homeowners into thepath with fencing and plantings. Additionally,some believe they should be able to installbarbed wire to discourage any trespassing. Of course, barbed wire is not allowed in the City for obvious safety reasons, so the litigation will continue.Eagle Urban Renewal is making some

progress with the intersection at Eagle Roadand Old State Street. The URA has struck adeal with Nick Zenovich and Randy Hetrick,owners of the former Tri-City Meats property,to raise their building along with the rentalhomes and scrub vegetation. The URA willrent the property until it is developed to provide significant additional parking for thedowntown merchants.There are still developers seeking to create

a pleasing structure on the Southwest cornerthat would include the old Chevron station.The question remains how to make it workwith the Chevron property owners still asking3 times the current market price. We remainhopeful.

Some of you will remember the economic development agency Sage, which is nowknown as the Idaho Council of Governments,or ICOG. It provides small loans for start-upbusinesses and was largely funded by the AreaAgency on Aging that provides meals for SWIdaho's Senior Centers. When they lost theAAA contract, we thought ICOG might close its doors. Now, the Montana Development Corporation has taken a strong interest inusing their fairly significant funding to helpeconomic develop through ICOG. As a City, I am hopeful that we may qualify for their assistance in developing commercial, and evena clean industrial component, to support thesubstantial residential growth we continue toenjoy.We are delighted to have all the commercial

development we can muster that will fit withthe beautiful ambiance that is Eagle. Conse-quently, we welcome the second phase of theGardner Company's Spring Creek assisted liv-ing facility at Eagle Island Crossing. As with allthat Gardner Company creates, it will continueto be a first class senior residential facility.Speaking of buildings, we are currently visit-

ing our daughter, her husband and our firstgranddaughter, Sophie Mae, in Upstate NewYork. They have just moved into a 1,600-square foot manufactured home on 3 acres inthe hill country south of Albany. Their taxesfor this humble home are a whopping $6,000per year. As there is no natural gas in the area,they heat with fuel oil. With the dropping fuelprices,their monthly bill just dropped from$400 to just over $300. Ain't you glad you livein Idaho.

Around Eagle . . . . . . . . . . . . By Mayor Jim Reynolds

Preschool YogaWednesdays, February 4-25 • 10:30-11:15 AM

Eagle Performing Arts CenterAges 3-6 • $36.00; preregistration required

Valentine’s Parents Night OutSaturday, February 14 • 5:00-9:00 PM

Eagle City Hall • Ages 4-10$24.00 (sibling discount available);

preregistration required

Bike Repair ClassTuesday, February 17 • 6:30-7:30 PM

Reed Cycle • $9.00; preregistration required

Preschool Dinosaur PartySaturday, February 21 • 10:00 AM-12:00 PM

Eagle Senior CenterAges 3-6 • $25.00; preregistration required

EAGLE PARKS AND RECREATION

Eagle City Council Meetings2nd and 4th Tuesday • 6:30 p.m.

Skyhawks BasketballMondays, February 23-March 16

Ages 4-6: 5:00-5:45 PMAges 7-8: 6:00-7:00 PM

Eagle Elementary of the Arts Gymnasium$40; preregistration required

Skyhawks SoccerWednesdays, February 25-March 18

Ages 4-6: 5:00-5:45 PMAges 7-8: 6:00-7:00 PM

Eagle Elementary of the Arts Gymnasium$40; preregistration required

For current Eagle Parks & Recreation activities, information and registration visit www.cityofeagle.org/recreation,

call 208-489-8784 or visit City Hall.

PAGE 6 • February 2015 SAFETY TIPS The Independent News • www.theindnews.com

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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 theindnews.story@gmail.com or mail to PO Box 2541, Eagle, ID 83616.

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 theindnews.story@gmail.com.

Contributors for this issue:Gretchen Anderson, Norma Dawson, Anna Eaton-Merkle, Rita Gambino, Steve Green, Cathy Hardy, Kim Ingraham,

Philip A. Janquart, Trina Kubitchek, Joy Lear, Joanne M.W. Love, Caitlin McGowan, John Millstead, Mickie Park, Joe Prin, Jim Reynolds,

Michael Rusnakc, Tamara Sullivan-Watson, Bill Towler, Melissa Upton, Denice Van Doren, Tom Wick

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

February 15, 2015

PO Box 2541Eagle, ID 83616(208) 550-3111

theindnews.story@gmail.com

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.

A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable faith

in their mission can alterthe course of history.

~ Mahatma Gandhi

So much is happening inour community everymonth that we can't

possibly fit it all in by thedate we publish.

Check our website for more news and events throughout the month.

theindnews.com

The M 4.9 earthquake that shook the areathis past month is a reminder for residents to take steps to protect their family, home,and business before an earthquake hits. Thenonprofit Federal Alliance for Safe Homes(FLASH)® offers the following easy and af-fordable earthquake safety tips for residents.Look Up1. Support ceiling fans and light pendantswith bracing wire secured to a screw eye em-bedded at least an inch into the ceiling joist.Look AroundSecure hanging artwork and furniture

with these easy and affordable steps. 2. Anchor the tops of bookcases, file cabinetsand entertainment centers to one or morestuds with flexible fasteners or metal "L"brackets and screws to prevent tipping.3. Secure loose shelving by screwing into thecabinet or with earthquake putty placed ateach corner bracket.4. Secure china, collectibles, trophies, andother shelf items with earthquake putty.5. Install a lip or blocking device to preventbooks or other articles from falling offshelves.6. Secure televisions, computers, and stereoswith buckles and safety straps that also alloweasy removal and relocation.7. Install latches on cabinet doors to preventthem from opening and spilling out theircontents.8. Hang mirrors, pictures and plants usingclosed hooks to prevent items from falling.9. Cover windows with approved shatter-resistant safety film to protect against brokenglass.Look DownPrevent post-earthquake fires with these

easy and affordable steps.

10. Ensure appliances have flexible gas orelectrical connectors.11. Strap the top and bottom of a waterheater using heavy-gauge metal strapping secured to wall studs.12. Locate your gas shutoff valve and en-sure you know how to turn off the gas sup-ply to your home with the use of a suitablewrench.13. Relocate flammable liquids to a garageor outside storage location.For additional resources for businesses

visit the FLASH and FEMA QuakeSmart initiative. For more how-to earthquake information, residents can visit the ProtectYour Home in a FLASH video library.About FLASHFederal Alliance for Safe Homes

(FLASH)®, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization,is the country's leading consumer advocatefor strengthening homes and safeguarding families from natural and manmade disas-ters. FLASH collaborates with more than 120 innovative and diverse partners thatshare its vision of making America a moredisaster-resilient nation including: BASF, Federal Emergency Management Agency,Florida Division of Emergency Manage-ment, The Home Depot®, InternationalCode Council, Kohler® Generators, Na-tional Weather Service, Portland CementAssociation, Simpson Strong-Tie®, StateFarm™, and USAA® In 2008, FLASHopened the interactive weather experienceStormStruck: A Tale of Two Homes® inLake Buena Vista, FL. Learn more aboutFLASH and gain access to its free consumerresources by visitingwww.flash.org or call-ing (877) 221- SAFE (7233). Also, get timelysafety tips to ensure that you and your fam-ily are protected from natural and man-made disasters by subscribing to the FLASHblog – Protect Your Home in a FLASH.

Earthquake Safety Tips

By Steve GreenIt’s a simple fact: brakes wear down.

When any of the following symptoms occur,call to schedule a free brake inspection withme at Steve’s Auto Care.• It's important to monitor any strange

noises your vehicle makes, including your brakes.

• While some screeching is to be expected, if you have to come to a fast and unex-pected stop, standard braking should not result in sounds. Also any type of regular grinding or clicking noises, in addition to frequent screeching, could be a red flag.

• Potholes aside, breaking should be a smooth experience. If you feel anything that seems out of place, such as vibrations,pulls or pulsations, it could be a sign of faulty brakes.

• Other red flags include longer stopping distances or a strange drag during accelera-tion as if the brakes are still engaged. Just like any other piece of equipment,

brakes have a finite lifespan. The exactlength of usefulness depends on your driv-ing habits: Those who cruise around ruralhighways likely don't wear down the brakesas fast as drivers in a crowded urban setting.Unfortunately, that means it can be difficultto know when to have brakes checked.Now newer vehicles are equipped with

alerts that clue you in as to when they mayneed brake repair, but you should be keeping track as well. Consider getting theminspected about every 6 months or so, scheduling the check for the same time asthe tire rotation or another action so it is easier to remember.At Steve's Auto Care, we always offer a

Free Brake Inspection. Give us a call and have yours done today. Call Steve at (208) 863-2748 or (208) 286-4039.

Is it Time for a Brake Repair?

• Competitive Ad Rates • The Largest Distribution• A Commitment to Content

Reach a larger audience!

(16,000 distribution) 794-6858

www.theindnews.com

The Independent News • www.theindnews.com BUSINESS February 2015 • PAGE 7

By Melissa UptonOn January 13, the inversion lifted and the

sun shone brightly for the groundbreakingceremony of the newest Edgewood SeniorLiving facility located at Eagle Island Crossingadjacent to the Idaho Fine Arts Academy. Edgewood Management Group has 10

senior living facilities throughout Idaho,three of which are located in Boise, two are in Meridian and, with this new location, twowill soon be in Eagle. Tommy Ahlquist, the Chief Operating

Officer (COO) for Gardner Company, beganthe ceremony with thanks to Eagle Mayor Jim Reynolds and the City of Eagle staff forall they do for the local and business community. According to their website, TheGardner Company is a builder of commercial,residential, and multi-use buildings withprojects throughout Idaho and Utah includingthe Huntsman Cancer Institute in Salt LakeCity; the Adobe building in Lehi, UT; City Center Plaza in downtown Boise (inprogress); and Eagle Island Crossing in Eagle.Ahlquist thanked ALC, the designer and architects of Eagle Island Crossing for theirexceptional vision and work on the project.Russ Kubik, Edgewood Management

Group’s COO and Executive Vice President(VP) next spoke, giving a background of thevision of the senior living and memory carefacility. He stated that the project began over3 years ago with a meeting between Edge-wood, Gardner Co, and the school system.

One of the goals of building the new senior care facility was to tie the “business of senior living, particularly memory care, toa student body…who had something to offerand something to contribute to this greatgroup of people that we take care of.” Kubikwent on to say that this venture reallystarted with a “heart and soul” to it that hasdriven the entire project and those involved.Kubik said the facility being constructed is

considered a “boutique” setting. It will fea-ture about 60 units, therefore Kubik stated,“It's not too big and not too small.” The facil-ity will contain 50% memory care and 50% as-sisted living units. Kubik concluded bysaying, “We've built a lot of things into thisbuilding that we think will serve the peopleof Eagle and Idaho very, very well.”Michael Sharp, Edgewood’s Regional VP

for Idaho and Montana, expressed enthusi-asm about the partnering opportunities withIdaho Fine Arts Academy and said that thestudents are “excited to come work with ourresidents…it’s going to be a unique situationthroughout the state in assisted living, mem-ory care, and independent living.” Mayor Reynolds concluded the ceremony

by expressing his appreciation to those in-volved in the Spring Creek SeniorLiving/Memory Care facility project.Those interested in Spring Creek Eagle Is-

land can view floor plans or a virtual tour onEdgewood Management Group’s website atedgewoodseniorliving.com or contact themat (208) 939-6499.

Groundbreaking at Spring Creek Eagle Island

Assisted Living/Memory Care Facility

Left to right. Eric Anderson - ALC Architecture, Owner & Architect,Joe Jackson - ESI, Owner, Jo Greer - ALC Architecture, Project Manager I AIT, Russ Kubik, Edgewood, Michael Sharp, Edgewood, Tommy Ahlquist - Gardner

Company, COO, Tom Ahlquist - Gardner Company, VP Construction, Geoff Wardle - Gardner Company, VP Development/Legal Counsel,

Mayor James D. Reynolds - City of Eagle Mayor, Ron Whetter, Edgewood

By Mickie ParkNational Broker Connect Real Estate held

their Grand Opening open house on January8, 2015. Eagle Chamber of Commerce, family, and

friends all joined together to welcome BrokerJimmie Miller and his team to the City ofEagle. It was the perfect opportunity to meetand greet the team and welcome them all.National Broker Connect Real Estate firm

works strongly locally and nationally focusingon connecting all consumers to the agentsand Brokers who share in the same high

level of customer service that they do. Theyrepresent both home buyers and sellers andspecialize in all aspects of real estate transac-tions. The National Broker Connect team ishere to help clients buy or sell their homesnot only in Eagle but also Meridian, Star,Boise, Nampa, Caldwell, Hidden Springs, justto name a few. National Broker Connect Real Estate is lo-

cated at 203 N Eagle Road. Visit their websiteat www.nationalbrokerconnect.com or call208-286-1570.

National Broker Connect Real Estate Grand Opening

National Broker Connect Real Estate held their Grand Opening Ribbon CuttingJanuary 8th.

PAGE 8 • February 2015 The Independent News • www.theindnews.com

By Anna Eaton-Merkle“Are you the smart one or the pretty one?”

Believe it or not, I was asked that questionmore than a few times in the small townwhere I grew up. People knew who my par-ents were and my brother was the only boy.Besides the obvious lack of tact such a queryposes, there was this simple fact…there werethree of us girls. So, given the choice ofwhether I was the smart one or the prettyone, I found myself saying awkwardly, “Errrr,pretty sure I am the other one.”Perhaps those experiences shaped me in

ways I have yet to encounter; perhaps therewill one day be a point wherein I can (probably with the help of a therapist) trace a variety of my own idiosyncrasies back togrowing up as the “other” one. But in fair-ness, at the moment I can honestly say that it didn’t bother me a bit.My older sister was an incredibly gifted and

driven student. Without a doubt, she earnedher title as the smart one and even todaypromises to increase the average I.Q. of anyconversation in which she is a part. Myyounger sister started out as a beautiful babyand has never stopped gracing every room shehas ever entered. She is as lovely inside asout. That left my brother and I, and his statusas the only son and an excellent athlete filleda unique niche to which I couldn’t hold a candle. So there I was, tucked firmly in themiddle. And contrary to what one mightthink, that position was as comfortable to me as a pair of footie pajamas.There were definite perks in that “other”

world: almost new hand-me-downs, a big sister on scary stormy nights, a little sister totest theories on (side note: purple crayons do NOT taste like grape tootsie rolls), and perhaps best of all, a brother who managed toget in enough trouble on his own that almostanything could be plausibly blamed on him.

A Teacher’s Perspective

Anna Eaton-Merkle lives in Eagle and teaches English to 10th and 12th grades at Eagle High School. A collection of her essays can be found on her blog,

www.thinkinginthemargins.com.

Y_s, I @m.

By Caitlin McGowan“What do you want to do with your

life?” Being a senior in high school, I’vebeen asked this question too many timesto count. After applying to colleges, I’vebeen asked this even more. I almost always answer the question by saying, “I want to change the world.”That’s a common response, and not a

bad one. You see, we as people change theworld every day just by living. We already have lived an existence that ischanging the world around us. I person-ally want to have a big impact on theworld, but changing the world doesn’t require some complicated plan.As confusing as this may sound, think

about it. There must have been some person who inspired Rosa Parks to notstand up on that bus, someone whopushed any of these famous world-changers to do what they did. Without the‘normal’ people, the world would be a dif-ferent place than it is.As a teenager, I’m not taken seriously

for a lot of my political standpoints orthoughts on how things should be done.For a while I used to think that my exis-tence in the large sense didn’t matter, as a lot of people do. The thing is, we allhave something we contribute to theworld as a whole. We, as typical people,have to think on the small-scale with howI change the world, but it still changes theworld.Whether it’s complimenting a random

person on the street or helping someone

carry their items into a building, it’s allsomething that contributes to the world.Maybe the person you complimented washaving a terrible day and felt like theylooked horrible. Or maybe the person youhelped wouldn’t have been able to presenttheir ground-breaking idea if they hadn’tgotten help into the building. All of theselittle actions, if acted out, would change the world.Doing small things contributes to chang-

ing the world. Not everyone can be thenext Albert Einstein or Frankie Valli. Somepeople don’t have the resources to makeground-breaking changes to the world, butthey still make changes.

You see, as humans, we change theworld day by day with the little actions wedo. However, there are steps to be takenthat amplify these changes we will make.Instead of thinking that the world doesn’tmatter with or without your existence,think about helping that person you seestruggling, or think about speaking upabout things you want to change. When it’sall said and done, we all change the world.I, myself, have done things in the past

couple of years that I would say changedthe world in a sense. I have complimentedpeople more and been more helpful in general. With this, I have seen peoplearound me acting a little nicer and myselfacting like a better person. Yes, these littlethings are just small fragments of the hugeworld around us, but the small fragmentsmay lead to something big.

Student’s PerspectiveStudent’s Perspective

This “other” life honed in me ninja-like skillsin eavesdropping, spying, and hiding. Later on, my time living under the wire

afforded me freedoms that I would not haveenjoyed were my parents fresh off the parent-ing boat. By the time I was ready to ventureout into the world, they had figured out thatit was not necessary to make one’s child wearan orange life vest while floating the river.Neither was it necessary to interview teach-ers, chaperone dances, or tail dates. Mybrother had already been grounded for everyoffense imaginable, so my mere tardinesshere and there was no longer a federal crime.In short they were relaxed enough not to embarrass me, but busy enough that they didn’t hover on my every movement. Perfectplace to be a teenager.I came to realize that being stuck firmly in

the middle allowed me to find my own path.I never had to live up to any particular label,and I never slowed down enough to wonderwhat that label would be if I had one. In high school, traditionally an emotional battleground, the need for approval rolled off me like water off a duck. I am sure I cared what people thought of me, but I reallydon’t remember ever worrying about it, eventhinking about it. I was just…me.Still am. College and jobs and friends and

clubs and kids and years and years later, thatis still who I am. I am not sure if this is agood or a bad thing. It is just a thing. But if Icould ever pass a characteristic on to my kids– the ones with my DNA and the ones whohave to listen to me in class every day – itwould be my “other”ness. There is a comfortin knowing one’s place in the universe, in accepting all the gifts that are given and allthose that aren’t. So if anyone ever asks oneof my kids if they are the smart one or thepretty one, I hope he or she can happily reply“Yes, I am.”

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.

~ Nelson Mandela

The Independent News • www.theindnews.com THE ARTS February 2015 • PAGE 9

The Children Actby Ian McEwan

Alluring, Descriptive, Captivating, The Children Act is a Great Read

Review by Tom WickFiona Maye, a High Court judge of the Eng-

lish jurisprudence system reflects, “Wealthmostly failed to bring extended happiness.”Her recollection foreshadows two paralleltales in this intriguing drama as Fiona wres-tles with her waning and childless marriageto Jack and with her decision to force seven-teen year-old Adam Henry to have induced amedical procedure his religious affiliation for-bids. Ian McEwan’s latest novel, the aptly named

‘The Children Act’ reflects the consequencesof the United Kingdom’s Children Act 1989,wherein is stated “the child’s welfare shall becourt’s paramount consideration.” McEwanmasterfully plays out this peril effect in thebook’s five parts, vignettes if you will, con-gruent, but separated by an elapsed period oftime. Fiona becomes uncharacteristically at-tached to Adam, denying his religious free-dom for her sake. Perhaps to be a mentor, or asurrogate mother, she justifies her attach-ment by professing, “I am the one who willbe making the decision in his best interests.” McEwan’s prose well plays out the irony

and wit that is not lost on Fiona, a judge inthe Family Division. She is the catalyst in herdeteriorating marriage, forgoing children foran unmemorable success; surrendering mari-

tal passion to managemarital conflict. McE-wan crafts the sen-tence, “Fionarecognizes in herselfthe signs of an enveloping misanthropy andmakes herself remember her mission.” Amission with no inspiration in its wake; Jackand Adam are the collateral damage. Fiona belatedly realizes that “she thought herresponsibilities ended at the courtroomwall.” Belatedly, but not too late, McEwanwonderfully illustrates her retreat to the manwho has never failed to love her. Jack is notwithout his own weaknesses; unloved, he re-acts selfishly, but for their sakes, they areboth fortunately remorseful. In the end, asFiona recognizes her most tragic moment,Jack lovingly “places his hand on her shoul-der, drawing her near him.” He promises tohear her regrets; and love her for herstrengths and weaknesses. McEwan, author of the popular film and

novel ‘Atonement,’ is not only a prolific nov-elist, but has also penned stage plays, screen-plays, children’s fiction, film adaptations,and even an oratorio. If you’ve never read orseen any of McEwan’s work, ‘The ChildrenAct’ is a great start.

February Artists - Camera Club of Eagle,The Camera Club of Eagle was established in 2008 by a handful

of community-minded photographers as a not-for-profit organiza-tion with its sole purpose being to educate, encourage and expanda photographer's knowledge and capabilities of its members by:• Furnishing a meeting place where its members could associate; • Making available equipment required for conduct of its programs; • Presenting lectures, courses of study and demonstration techniques; • Providing for club and member participation in exhibitions and

contests; • Sponsoring of activities which further the purpose of the club and

the community. Since 2008 the club has grown exponentially with a mix of beginners, intermediates and seasoned professionals in a comfortable environment where everyone can learn and teach at their own pace. With over 20 educational presentations each year, frequent photographic outing events, 4 in-depth workshops, photographic critique sessions as well as our members presenting topics in our bimonthly meetings, the club continues to develop seasoned photographers for the future.Along with all the educational topics we also provide access to private pages and group space

where members can share photos, video presentations, special interest topics and tutorials tofurther increase our membership's knowledge of photography. The Camera Club of Eagle supports community efforts by making it our job to give back

whenever we can by volunteering to help where and when we are needed.If you love photography, you will love the friends you'll make at the Camera Club of Eagle.

Our mission is to learn together through great teaching and frequent group outings. Join us eachfirst and third Wednesday of the month at Eagle City Hall which is located between the EaglePublic Library and the Eagle Post office in downtown Eagle. Meetings held at 7PM sharp in theCouncil Chambers.

February Artist - Michael RusnackA degreed engineer, Michael Rusnack finds his cre-

ative outlet through painting. Experiences in stage setdesign set him on a path of study in England, wherehe discovered oil and watercolor painting, and Italy,where he immersed himself in sculpting, rooting hisfuture development as an artist in a trust of thesenses and a deep appreciation of art history.His work is influenced by water colorist Dwight

Williams, plein air painter Fred Choate, and thepainterly philosophy of John Carlson. Value, mass, color temperature, and perspective formthe foundations of Michael's interpretive realism, while he draws inspiration from the sweep-ing vistas, contemplative moods, and sensual pleasures of the Western landscape. His high-key palette celebrates the light, freshness, and continual change each season brings tomountain and field, sea and sky.

"Don't be afraid of putting on color...paint generously and unhesitatingly, for it is best not to lose the first impression."

-Camille Pissarro

ST LUKE’S GALLERY7am to 6pm, Monday- Friday • Art exhibits are located on the second level

City Hall Art GalleryGallery hours: 8am to 5pm

The Eagle Arts Commission's mission is growing and celebrating the arts to strengthen community.

It was established to promote, educate and develop the arts for the citizens of the City of Eagle.

The Eagle Arts Commission, comprised of volunteers, serves in an advisory capacity and is established to advise Eagle the City Council on ways in which city government might bestserve the public with regard to matters involving the arts.

The Eagle Arts Commission is pleased to announce the Artists of the Month at the Eagle City Hall Gallery and St. Luke's Eagle Gallery.

The Eagle City Hall and St. Luke's galleries are open to the public and may be viewed during regular business hours.

Photography takes an instant out of time, altering life by holding it still.~ Dorothea Lange

PAGE 10 • February 2015 COMMENTARY The Independent News • www.theindnews.com

TRINA’S FITNESS CORNER

Trina K Kubitschek Certified Personal Trainer. Owner of CrossFit Station. A proud mom of Kayla, Kasson, Violet, and Evelyn. Trina has more than 14 years of experience and a drive to help individuals find and succeed in their fitness goals.

Visit Trina at http://crossfitstation.com

Did you knowthat one of thesimplest thingsyou can do to im-prove your overallhealth is drinkinga warm cup of

lemon water first thing in the morn-ing? With all the new year’s resolu-tions being claimed I jumped on thisone – it is so simple and easy to do. Here are my top reasons why youshould be drinking lemon water:• Lemon helps improve digestion. It will ease indigestion, heartburn,bloating, and bowel regulation.Lemon juice naturally hydrates yourgut and helps flush out toxins.• With cold and flu season on therise; lemon juice helps support yourimmune system. Not only is lemonjuice high in Vitamin C, but it alsohas the ability to help your body absorb iron from the foods you eat.• It is important to stay hydrated in the winter months just as muchas the summer months. Althoughpeople find plain water boring,lemon water makes plain water more interesting to drink.• Lemons can help reduce inflamma-tion, by removing the uric acid fromyour joints. Uric acid build up is oneof the major causes of inflammation.• Lemon water helps to reducemucus and phlegm. People who

drink cow’s milk are often more sensitive for mucus production. Sostarting your day with lemon watercan definitely help lessen mucus ifyou are not ready to go dairy free.• Lemon water can help you fight depression and stress. With highlevels of potassium and magnesium,it creates mental clarity and focus.This is a great drink for those of uswith a stressful lifestyle. • Lemon water helps you detox fromcaffeine. Many people are able to getoff caffeine by replacing their morn-ing cup of joe with lukewarm lemonwater. It gives you the energy boostto wake your body and boost energyas one cup of coffee would. • Lemon water fights mouth bacteria.However don’t drink lemon juiceundiluted or brush your teeth with it– it can erode tooth enamel. Drink aglass of lemon water instead.• Lemon water can assist in fightingcravings, boost metabolism, and giveyou the feeling of satisfaction. Sodrink a glass of lemon water in between meals.

Lemon water is easy to make.Warm up a cup of water first thing inthe morning. Squeeze half of a freshlemon into your water and enjoy. Add lemon to your water throughoutyour day; it is good for your mind,body, and soul.

Drinking Lemon Water TISSUESI wouldn’t go as far as to say, I’m a pack

rat. After all, “pack rat” is the more politeterm for “hoarder.” However, I have beenguilty of this one, little thing for quite along time: collecting used tissues. There. I said it. My grandmother, who I dearly loved and

to whom I still feel a connection, would always rat hole used tissues. She had themin her handbag, in her housecoat pockets;you’d even find them squirreled away inone sleeve of her winter sweaters. I’m certain it’s inherited. My older brother,Christian, freely admitted to the samething—though he doesn’t keep them in a housecoat pocket. It all started with my allergies. Really bad

allergies. Before I discovered the Neti Potand a saline nose gel called Ayr, I used toblow my nose at least 20 times every morn-ing. As a result, I would go through Kleenexlike nobody’s business. So back then, Iwould stockpile tissues that still had someuse left in ‘em. I should have purchasedstock in Kleenex, long ago.To my credit, I really only use a small

portion of a tissue. I don’t keep the onesthat are really gnarly. I am frugal—but havemy limits. And, if I were really mindful I’djust tear off and trash the used part andkeep the rest of the Kleenex. Nah…It all came to a head recently. Mr. Man

gifted me a treadmill desk for my birthday.I know, I know. It’s bad juju to buy yourwoman anything that would encourage herto exercise for her birthday because itsends the wrong message. Like, “Your back-side is WAY TOO BIG.” But, to his credit Itold him how I was fascinated by a story on

By Gretchen Anderson

©February 2015 Gretchen Anderson. Gretchen Anderson is an award-winning

writer and author of “The Backyard ChickenFight.” It is available on Amazon. ContactGretchen at gretchen.anderson@me.com.

NPR on treadmill desks. Did you knowmost of the people working at the MayoClinic haven’t sat at desks for months? Itwas a gift of “good health.” Back to the Kleenex…Mr. Man and Bubba decided to move me

out of my old desk and set up the new one.They started by removing the drawers. Oneafter another, they stacked them in thefamily room for me to unload. It was thelast drawer they brought out, that essen-tially threw me under the bus. It waschock-full of used, wadded up tissues. No one had known my secret until thatmoment. I was busted. I used that collection to grab runaway

spiders. If one of the dogs had an accidentthat's the Kleenex I used (and disposed ofit afterward—of course)! And on occasion,if I had to blow my nose, I knew where Icould find a tissue in a pinch.I don’t think there is a 12-step program

for my Kleenex quandary. I will just haveto kick my habit, cold turkey. So, if youhappen to sneeze go ahead ask me if I have a tissue. I promise it will be fresh…or will it?

Technology andevolution can be cruelrelatives. These arethe kind of relativesthat you like to havearound for a while,sometimes are glad

when they are gone, but yet miss them in anostalgic way and think of them fondly. For example: The question of paper bags vs.

plastic is not even a question any more. Sim-ply put, we are to feel bad if we choose either.We are killing owls, choking sea turtles, usingup finite resources and making things bad forthe children of our children’s children. I knowthat. The right choice? Neither. Use thereusable bag you brought with you! Yeah me!I have the right answer. That is as long as myreusable shopping bag is not made out of asmuch plastic as 100 of those other ones andmade by child labor in a far off country. Foam coffee cups or paper? Neither! Bring

your own cup to work! Yeah me! I do this.Now if I could figure out how to wean theworld off bottled water I would feel like some-thing has been accomplished. What a sillything that is, right? I saw bottles of water for88 cents that somehow got shipped all the wayfrom Norway, and a melting glacier, to the con-venience store on the corner. Really? Howmuch petroleum did that cost the planet?Makes my Eagle well water taste pretty good.What an interesting First World problem thatis. I think the water we have available locallyis pretty good. Good enough that I do notneed to drink Norway’s. And who says what isin that water anyway? So after that “egotistical, self grandstanding,

holy-er that thou statement of attitude andhow the world should be” mentality, I would

Joe’s View

Listen to The HomeFix Radio Show with Joe Prin, Saturday mornings, 7-10 AM on 670 KBOI or on your mobile device through Facebook at “The HomeFix Radio Show”.

Email to joe@joeprin.com. Podcasts of previous radio shows and columns are available at JoePrin.com.

like to start a revolution. My quest is going tobe the elimination of the 9/10 of a centnomenclature at the end of a gallon of gas. The 9/10 cent designator is a waste of my

brain space. It is antique. It is obsolete. Itsreason for being does not exist anymore. Itneeds to go away! Think of a world without this visual and

mental clutter. No more would you debatewith your spouse if the gas is $1.80 or really$1.81. You wouldn’t have to think about buy-ing exactly one gallon and how you would getthe 1/10 of a cent back from those thieving oilbarons. That’s where they make the money!Rounding up!No longer would plastic sign companies

have to make the tenth designation characteron the inventory of numerical inserts pro-vided to stores nationwide. Signs could besmaller, and it would take less energy to illu-minate them. The savings to the planet couldbe huge! There is a cause I can rally behind!Who’s with me?! Letting go. It’s a tough thing to do. For the

most part, we do not “dial” a phone numberany longer. Can’t dial when there is no dial.We punch, press, push, or even “speak” phonenumbers. No dials anymore. TechnologicalEvolution.Ask a kid to tell you what time it is off an

analog clock. You know, the ones with thoseold things like big hands and little hands?Kids know digital clocks. In the coming years,analog clocks will become quaint, quirky, andretro. And I will feel a bit older. Older, as Idrink my local well water from a ceramic cupcarried in my reusable bag and tell a story to afriend on a phone without a dial at a time de-termined without hands. Thank heaven youlearned about my dilemma in a real newspaper.

Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.Confucius

The Independent News • www.theindnews.com February 2015 • PAGE 11

FEBRUARYEVENTS

Library calendars, Eagle andStar city meetings, and Chamber

of Commerce information can be found listed separatelythroughout the newspaper.City of Eagle news, pg. 5; City of Star news, pg. 12

and on the online calendar at www.theindnews.com

To view our current, updatedcalendar or for event

submission information pleasevisit our website at

www.theindnews.com.

Eagle FoodbankDistribution Days are the first and third

Thursday of every month 10 a.m.-12 p.m.and the last Tuesday 6-7 p.m.

149 W. State St, Eagle, in the rear of theCustomedica Pharmacy building.

Donations of non-perishable food items may be dropped off at donation binslocated in the Eagle Main Fire Station,

the Eagle Public Library and in Albertsons.The Eagle Foodbank is also open most

Fridays from 4-6pm to receive non-perish-able donations. Donations may be mailed to:

Eagle Foodbank, PO Box 1081,Eagle, ID 83616.

Hope Lutheran Food BankOpen Monday - Thursday

9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.After-hours by appointment.

939-9181,office@hopeeagle.orgwww.hopeeagle.com.

Food Donation Needed

An affordable way to advertiseyour business or service!

Over 16,000 copies distributionto Eagle and Star, with drops in N Meridian and W Boise!

Call 794-6858 or email theindnews.story@gmail.com

BUSINESS DIRECTORY

The Independent News can be foundat these and other locations:

Eagle:• Albertsons • Burger Den

• Busters • Big O• Eagle Chamber of Commerce

• Eagle City Hall• Eagle Library • Idaho Athletic

• Jacksons • Justos Tesoro• Les Schwab • Perks of Life

• Rembrandts • Shady Acres

• St Al’s-Eagle • St Luke’s-Eagle• Stinker - State St.• Winco • Zen Bento

Star: • El Mariachi • Maverik

• Star Library • Star Merc • Star Café

Meridian:• Fred Meyer, Linder at Chinden

• Stinker, Eagle Road

Middleton: • Ridley’s • Sunrise Café • The CottagesIf you would like us to add your business to our distribution list, please call 550-3111 or email us attheindnews.story@gmail.com

Help WantedSchool bus driver needed one day per week

for the Horseshoe Bend 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) afterschool program 8-10 weeks, approximately3-4 hours per day, additional hours may beavailable. $14/hour and CDL required withschool bus and passenger endorsement

and good driving record. Call 793-2225 x1260 for more info.

Classifieds

Help WantedExperienced landscape maintenance lead

for the 2015 season. Valid driver’s license required.

Contact Superior Landscape, 985-0687

The Independent News reaches 16,000 HomesImagine how your business

might grow with that kind of exposureCall 794-6858 for information on

advertising with us

The heart has its reasons of which reason knows nothing.

~ Blaise Pascal

STAR BLOOD DRIVE

February 103-6:30 pm

In the Star Library parking lot.

Please call Rita Gambinoto schedule your time

208-286-7153Give Blood - It Saves Lives

TAX TALKAffordable Care ActH&R Block of Star has teamed with Idaho

Independent Bank and Joski Insurance tooffer a Tax Talk to speak to the communityand help them to better understand the ef-fects of the Affordable Care Act on taxes andsome things that may be beneficial to thecommunity as consumers.

TAX TALKStar Public Library

Tuesday, February 3, 20155:30pm to 6:30pm

Light refreshments will be served.Capacity is 30.

For questions please contact:H&R Block of Star208-286-7130

PAGE 12 • February 2015 CITY OF STAR The Independent News • www.theindnews.com

Star Senior Center102 S. Main Street, 286-7943 • Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.

Regular Weekly Activities:• Dominoes and pool before lunch each Wednesday and Friday.• Bingo after lunch each Wednesday and Friday.• Pinochle each Friday at 7 p.m.• Books, books on tape, VCR movies, and cassette tapes are available in the office.• AA Meetings each Monday from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.• Women’s AA Meetings each Wednesday from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.• Bus is available for pick up if you need a ride to the Senior Center (286-7943).• Lunch and bus rides are available on a donation basis.

Share the Love of your Business & Network with Others!!!Feb 5th – First Thursday: Out To Lunch:

11:45 a.m. -1:00 p.m. Lunch at Westside Pizza on the corner of Hercules and StarRoad. Lunch specials, networking, Special announcements, Raffles, and so much more.

Ribbon Cuttings: 12:45 p.m. directly after lunch. Three new businesses have joined us and are opening up for business.

Come show your support for Star’s growing business community. Meet the new business owners & give some words of wisdom.

Feb 10th 3:30 p.m. - Board / Committee MeetingPlace TBA – Contact the Chamber if you wish to set an appointment to speak with us.

Feb 19th General Meeting 6:30 p.m.Join us for the Chinese New Year Celebration at the Asian Wok. Authentic Chinese cuisine, Chamber specials / Raffles & Networking. Bring possible new Chamber members. Bring your spouse and you may bring teens interested in starting

businesses. Kelly, the owner of Asian Wok is making this a special evening with cultural benefits. Thank you to Anna Millstead for her ability to speak Chinese and

help putting this event together! You won’t be disappointed!Please consider getting involved with your Chamber

Volunteer on a special committee: Events, Technology, Welcome Wagon/Membership, Financial,and Business/Government Liaisons. Join us at one of our meetings for more information.

For more info contact Tammy: President@StarIdahoChamber.com or 208-908-5476 www.StarIdahoChamber.com or visit us on Facebook·

February Activities:February 2: Walmart Shopping – Contact Bethe @ 286-7943February 4: Goldmine Newsletter arrivesFebruary 6: Blood Pressure taken by Star’s firemen

Foot Clinic/Cost $25/starts at 9 am/Call 286-7943 to make appt.February 7: Bingo at Middleton - starts at 5:30 - cost is $10 for regular games

– additional charge for specialty games Contact Bethe @ 286-7943 for a ride

February 9: Outing to Jalapenos Mexican in Caldwell - Contact Bethe @ 286-7943February 11: Hearing Clinic (ear cleaning) – 10:30 - Free

Board MeetingFebruary 17: Appointment Day/$12 haircuts, bank, doctor appointments, etc.

Between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. - Contact Bethe @ 286-7943February 18: Birthday RecognitionFebruary 19: Appointment Day/$12 haircuts, bank, doctor appointments, etc.

Between10 a.m. and 2 p.m. - Contact Bethe @ 286-7943February 23: Outing to Kuna Senior Center - Contact Bethe @ 286-7943February 27: Rootbeer floats – starts at 11 a.m.

STAR LIBRARY - February Events

Star Parks and Recreation We, the City of Star Parks and Recreation committee, are dedicated to providing and preserving the highest quality of parks and services

for as many citizens as possible with the resources available.

For current Star Parks and Recreation activites, information, and registration http://staridaho.org/parks/activities.php, call 286-7247 or visit City Hall.

Be our friend on Facebook for the latest changes and happenings! Or, if you have ideas for new programs we would love to hear from you!!

Mondays 2/2, 2/9, 2/23Preschool Play and Learn Story time

(ages 3–5), 10:30 a.m. Teen Art Studio (ages 12 and up), 4:15 p.m.

creative expression and socializing on 2/2 and 2/9

Pizza and Books for teens (ages 12 and up),4:15 p.m.

you bring a book you have read and we providethe pizza – 2/23

Tuesdays 2/3, 2/10, 2/17, 2/24 Make It Challenge (ages 8-12),

4:15-5:30 p.m.Featuring our 3-D printer

Star QuiltersMeet at the library on alternate Tuesdays of each month, from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. Open to anyone interested – 2/3, 2/17 Wednesdays 2/4, 2/11, 2/18, 2/25

Star KnittersMeet at the library every Wednesday morning

from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Open to anyone interested.

Minecraft gaming and activities (grades 3-6),4:00 p.m.

Star OutreachNeighbors Helping Neighbors

Star Outreach- Neighbors Helping Neighbors is a Public Charity under Internal Revenue section 501 (c) (3)

Check us out at staroutreachonline.com.

Thank you again for your support. If you need assistance or know someone who does we are open

every Thursday 3-5, the third Thursday 3-7 or call 208-779-0046.

Youth Spring Soccer RegistrationJan 5th through Jan 23rd.

$20.00 resident $25.00 non resident8 years and up (as of July 31, 2014)

$17.00 jersey fee, if you don’t already have one.Optional: $12.00 Professional coaching for ages 6 &

older, held on Wed. for 4 weeks.Tiny Tot Division (3 years): April 1st through April 29th

Mondays & Wednesdays from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m. This is a fun introduction to soccer for the little guys.Ages 4 and older start around March 16 and through

May 16th. Practices are during the week and games areon Friday and/or Saturdays. Ages are as of July 31,

2014. Approx. 50% at Hunters Creek and 50% in othercities like Middleton, Caldwell, Meridian, & Nampa.

Fit and Fall Prevention™Class Sponsored by Central District Health

Held at Star City Hall 10769 W. State St. 10:30 - 11:15 a.m., Mon., Wed. & Fri.No Cost – Join Anytime. 286-7247

Needlepoint for all, taught by Dyan Kastner.Wednesdays ongoing 4:30-6:00 p.m. at Star City Hall$5.00/class. No experience needed. Bring project

or ask Kim for suggestions at 286-7247.Pilates Tuesday and Thursday

8:30-9:15 a.m. All abilities are welcome. $25/class per month. Please bring a mat.

Yoga for all abilities Monday and Wednesday9:00 -9:45 a.m. at Star City Hall. $25/month

offered through and a mat is all that is required.Let’s Talk About it

10 a.m. at the Star Branch Library Annex on the datesbelow. The discussions will be led by a scholar knowl-edgeable about the culture of the book. These arefree events, and the books can be picked up at the

Star Branch Library. 2/21 - The Language of Baklava, by Diana Abu-Jaber (Jordan)3/14 - The Mistress of Spices,

by Divakaruni (India)3/28 - The Road from Coorain, by Jill Ker Conway (Australia)

Bogus Basin Day Trips Saturdays and Sundays7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. bus will pick up at Star

Mercantile and leave Bogus @ 5pm. $13 Transportation Only. Call 459-6612 for more details and holiday schedule.

Fly fishing Class- Saturday, January 24, 9 a.m.-12-noon at Star City Hall. Learn the art of flytying from advance tier and instructor Jim Hunter.

Classes are free but space is limited. Please bring apencil and pad of paper to take notes. Also, a vise,tying thread and bobbin are tools needed (there maybe a few available).Sign up at 286-7247. Hook: dry flysize 12 to 14 Thread: 6/0 or 8/0 tan color Wire: small

copper or brass Body: cream, tan, dubbing, PeacockHerl if you prefer as well Hackle: brown, size to matchthe hook size (gap) Hair: standard Elk Hair in the lightcolor. These materials are available at any of our local

fly shops, Sportsman Warehouse and Cabela's.U of Idaho Master Gardeners

Wednesday, February 18 6:30-8:00 p.m. Margaret Erskineand Howard Little will discuss starting your own seeds andcutting properly for new plants. 286-7247 to sign up.

Rifle Hunters Safety Classes at Star City Hall.Details at fishandgame.idaho.gov. Class is $8 for those

9 years old and up. Dates to be announced. USSF Grade 8 & 9 Recreational Soccer

Referee Certification clinic.Upon successful completion of the Grade 8 and/or 9Recreational Referee course, the candidate achieves aUSSF Recreational Referee certification. This qualifiesthe candidate to referee at recreational youth games(specific age levels apply). The clinic will be all day on a Saturday in February TBA 8:30 am to 5:00 pm.

Minimum Age is 12. Cost of the clinic is approximately$15. If the test is passed, there is a approximately

$40 fee for the USSF license.Class held at Star City Hall 10769 W. State St. Star, ID.

Call Ron for more information 208-7247.2015 Star Rec Sports ScheduleRegistration Date & Season Info

Spring Soccer:Jan 5 thru Jan 23 • March 16 thru May 16

Adult 3 on 3 Basketball: Jan 5 thru Jan 30 • Feb 9 thru Mar 20

Youth Baseball:April 1 thru April 24 • May 25 thru July 18

Adult Co-Ed Softball:April 1 thru May 1 • June 1 thru July 18

**Youth Sports Scramble:May 1 thru May 22 • July 6 thru July 31

Family vs. Family Games:June 1 thru June 19 • Aug 3 thru Aug 28

**Youth Wiffleball:June 1 thru June 19 • Aug 3 thru Aug 28

Fall Soccer: July 1 thru July 17 • Aug 31 thru Oct 24

Youth Flag Football:July 1 thru July 17 • Aug 31 thru Oct 24

16 & up Powder Puff Football:July 1 thru July 24 • Aug 31 thru Oct 24

Youth Basketball:Sept 1 thru Sept 18 • Oct 26 thru Mar 20

**These activities are during week days, during summer break.All sports are $20.00 residents $25.00 non residents.

Youth sports has 1 week late registration for an additional $10.00 per childFamily vs. Family Games:

$20.00 res $25.00 non res. per family

Are you a senior or know a senior in Star - Please Join us this month and meet old and new friends

For more information on any of these programs, please call the Star Branch Library at 286-9755 or www.adalib.org. Sign up for our weekly newsletter, too!

February 2015 Star Chamber Calendar

We need VolunteersWednesdays from 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. & Thursdays from 2:30 - 5:00 p.m.

*Preschools and daycares are welcome to call the library to schedule a story time visit! The Star Branch Library will be closed on Monday, February 16th for Presidents’ Day.

We would like to thank everyone for all their support throughout the year.

Our current needs are canned vegetables, soup, peanut butter, tuna,

spaghetti sauce, laundry soap, bar soap, and deodorant.

Star City Council Meetings1st and 3rd Tuesday • 7:00 pm

Star City Hall

Star City Hall10769 W State Street • 286-7247

www.staridaho.org

City of Star Meetings

We wish you and yours a warm and wonderful holiday season!

Thursdays 2/5, 2/12, 2/19, 2/26Babies and Music (ages 0-3), 10:30 a.m.

Stories, songs and fingerplays for babies and a parent.

Winter Fairy Tale BallThursday, February 12th from 4:30-6 p.m.

Kids of all ages welcome.Join us at the library for a magical afternoon offun. Come wearing fairy tale costumes andenjoy games, crafts, snacks and more!

Fridays 2/6, 2/13, 2/20, 2/27Music and Movement (all ages), 10:30 a.m. –Kids learn rhythm, coordination and other skills

while moving to music.Puppet show (all ages), 2/27, 4:15 p.m.

Saturdays 2/21 “Beyond the Book” discussion for adults

at 10 a.m. will feature a “Let’s Talk about It”book selection and guest speaker this month.On 2/21 we will be discussing The Language ofBaklava, by Diana Abu-Jaber with scholar HeikeHenderson. Pick up your copy of the book at

the Star Branch Library!

By Philip A. JanquartSTAR, Idaho - Several counterfeit ten-dollar

bills were recently discovered by an Idaho Independent Bank employee in Star, accord-ing to bank Vice President Mini Victory.The bills were discovered by bank Opera-

tions Officer Lanette Brooks who said theywere present in a night deposit made by alocal businessman.“I was tipped off because they felt differ-

ent,” Brooks told The Independent. “There is a feel to them (the bills) and you can tellthe difference if you are used to handlingmoney.”Brooks said the three counterfeit tens look

like the most recent versions of the billsprinted by the U.S. Treasury and distributedinto circulation by the Federal Reservebanks.“They were wrinkled and made to look

older, like they’ve been used,” she said. “We notified the local business owner and he said he never even noticed.”The bills were mailed to the Federal

Bureau of Investigation, at the Federal Build-ing in downtown Boise, according to Brooks,who said the agency would have mailedthem back had they not been counterfeit.“The fact they kept the money means they

were actually counterfeit,” she said. “If theyweren’t, the feds would have just mailedthem back.”What makes this counterfeiting case a bit

more unique is the fact that the bills weretens, instead of the typical $20, $50 or $100counterfeit bills.“You wouldn’t expect that, but now they

are making tens and even fives because peo-ple don’t normally watch those,” Brooks said.“The scary thing is, someone could give thatmoney as change and if you have it, andsomeone notices it’s counterfeit, you losethat money because they keep it.”Bob Harrell, the Secret Service’s Resident

Agent in Boise, works on counterfeit cases in

the Treasure Valley. He says the possession,passing and manufacturing of “funnymoney” is not uncommon here and that peo-ple still attempt it despite new security fea-tures.“It happens,” he said. “With today’s tech-

nology, all you need to make counterfeitmoney is an inkjet printer, a good copy ma-chine or three-in-one printer, hook it up to acomputer and make copies that are passable.”Harrell, who gives talks at local schools,

banks and other businesses, says the moneydoesn’t need to be exact because criminalsare counting on inattentive employees whodon’t have time to think about whether themoney they are collecting is counterfeit.Imagine if McDonald’s employees were re-quired to check for authenticity every timethey collected money from a customer.“I’m not familiar with this particular case,

but the money that was found at the bank inStar was most likely passed at a local mer-chant,” he said. “The bad guys will do this inthe evening, in low light visibility, or withnew bank clerks who aren’t as familiar withsecurity features in the new currency. A lot ofthem prey on fast-food businesses wherethey are taking money and giving changethrough a drive through.” Harrell said much of the counterfeit money

found in the Treasure Valley is connected tothe drug underworld.“Drugs and counterfeits go hand-in-hand,”

he said. “It’s in the drug scene. Some peoplewill get duped into taking counterfeit moneyfor drugs and they end up wanting to spendit at fast food places to pass it on. Businessesget burned, which is unfortunate.”Some of the things Harrell says businesses

should look for, for authenticity, include watermarks that match the president on thebill, embedded security strips, red and bluefibers and color shifting ink. You can get the full rundown at www.

secretservice.gov, or www.moneyfactory.gov.

Counterfeit Money Found at Star’s Idaho Independent Bank

The Independent News • www.theindnews.com STAR NEWS February 2015 • PAGE 13

Star, ID – The Star City Council unani-mously voted to adopt the national HERS(Home Energy Rating System) Index as an option to building energy code compliance at the City Council meeting on January 6,2014. Ingo Stroup, representing Building Energy, Inc., a local Energy Services Com-pany, presented information at the meeting.The RESNET HERS Index is a performance-

based energy efficiency verification program.Homes that are HERS certified receive a scorebased on the efficiency measures built intothe home; a lower score indicates a more energy efficient home. A two-page certificate,detailing consumption and savings, is provided once all of the testing and verification has been completed. Across the nation, the HERS Index is

Star Adopts the HERS Index

CALLING ALL LOCAL ARTISTS!

What does the city of Star mean to you? Show us!

Steve’s Auto Care is offering a $100 prize for the best drawing that depicts the meaning of Star. The submission deadline is March 1, 2015.

Judges will include Star City Council members and Steve Green of Steve’s Auto Care.Submit your drawing to Steve Green at Steve’s Auto Care, 10915 West State Street, Star,

ID 83669. If you have any questions, call Steve at (208) 863-2748.

increasing in popularity, with over 150 Jurisdictions adopting HERS as an option forcode compliance. For builders that constructhigh performing homes, the HERS Score is avaluable tool to quantify their efforts. Home-owners appreciate receiving this information,knowing that an independent entity is test-ing and verifying efficiency measures. “The adoption of HERS as an option for

code compliance in the city of Star is a posi-tive step for this city. It will alleviate some of the confusion regarding code complianceand provides options for builders and homeowners. I hope that other jurisdictionsin the Treasure Valley will also consideradopting HERS”, said Mr. Stroup.For more information about the HERS

Index, visit www.resnet.us or www.buildingenergyinc.com.

PAGE 14 • February 2015 The Independent News • www.theindnews.com

By John MillsteadAre you a small business owner struggling to

be found online by customers who need yourproducts or services?Maybe you watched the 1989 movie, “Field

of Dreams” where a small town farmer, playedby Kevin Costner, hears a voice saying, “If youbuild it, he will come.”You heard it was important to build a web-

site for your business. Maybe you even paid agood amount of money to get the slickest siteout there. But now you are second-guessingyourself and doubting that a website was agood idea. The website is there, but the cus-tomers aren't flocking in.Should you give-up all together? Should you

pour more money into it? Maybe even redesign the entire site?Don't worry, many business owners feel this

way. They get excited with their new 'real es-tate' – only to be disappointed as buyer's re-morse kicks in. What now? What can you dowithout starting over or walking away from it?In most cases it is not the design of the

website turning people away. In fact there are many sites that could use a fresh coat ofpaint and new siding-- but they bring in tons of business. Think about the old hardware store you

went to as a kid. Remember how boxes werejumbled-up and how you had to walk sidewaysthrough the aisles – but, despite the mess, they had what you were looking for.In their case they had great content, but not

curb appeal. A website's administrator can learn from

the hardware store – good content is key. Awebsite with fresh, valuable content will getnoticed. A beautiful, shiny website with stale,boring content will not.When you needed a pipe-wrench for a leaky

faucet where did you go? How did you find thehardware store? You opened the Yellow Pagesand looked for “hardware stores.” In manycases the hardware store ad you chose was theone that wasn't too small and hard to read andit wasn't the big, flashy one. Instead it was the

respectable one in the middle. Likewise, it is important to correctly list your

information for the local, online directories. It is also important to note we are talking aboutlocal directories and not Internet wide listings.You will hear many people talk about the merits of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) –and yes, it does have its place, but local SearchEngine Optimization is vital to the success of a small business. If you run a small to medium size business

serving a local market, you do not need to beconcerned with the entire Internet as if youwere a large, multinational corporation.Here are a few tips to help your customers

find you online:• It is a good idea to properly enter your busi-ness information in the top directories (i.e.,Google Business, Bing Places, Yahoo Directory,etc.). You want to make sure your businessname, address, and phone number is listed thesame way across all listings. Don't forgetadding your business to industry specific direc-tories as well. • The next step is to encourage your customersto leave reviews for your company on the direc-tories. Adding a link to a “review us” page canhelp. Another way is to ask customers to com-plete a short survey about your business. Aftercompleting the survey they will be taken to review site where they can record their experi-ence. Make sure to address negative reviewspromptly – this too can add to your customer'spositive experience. • It is also wise to have fresh, valuable contentthat is also linked to social media sites likeFacebook and Twitter. Search engines like to'see' engagement between businesses and their customers. So you can see, a slick, fancy website will not

draw customers by itself. It is important tohave fresh, engaging content and to make surethe directories know who you are and where to find you. Build optimized sites with proper directory listings and then they will come.Please contact me for more information:

John Millstead, email: johnmillstead@gmail.com

List Your Business and They Will ComeIn most divorces, one spouse is caught off

guard by the delivery of divorce papers. Thatis why it pays to pay attention to what isgoing on in your marriage. Getting comfort-able with the status quo and taking things forgranted is one of the biggest mistakes marriedcouples make. Below is a list of warning signsof a marriage in trouble.1. You no longer have anything in common.Do you and your partner spend hours to-

gether under the same roof, at social engage-ments, or performing routine errands, yetrarely engage in meaningful conversation?Living in silence is a primary symptom ofmajor marital problems.2. You can do no right.Do you feel like your every action is being

watched and criticized by your partner? Canyou do no right in their eyes? Do you feel intimidated or afraid because of your partner’s constant criticism? Too often partners will funnel larger relationship issuesinto negative criticism of day-to-day tasks.3. You are the last to know.Is your partner no longer sharing informa-

tion with you about his career, personal problems or personal achievements? Is yourpartner sharing this information with a friend and you hear it second hand? Whenyou become the last to know important information there has been a huge break-down in communication.4. A change in appearance.Over time, your comfort level will in-

evitably end that desire to look "perfect" forevery encounter with your partner. However,a drastic decline in personal appearance andhygiene by your spouse could be a sign theyno longer care or are happy in the marriage.5. Looking for distractions from the problems.If the television is on constantly, you both

sit with your face buried in a book, or you always have something else that needs to bedone, there may be a problem. It is commonfor individuals to find such distractions toavoid dealing with a troubled marriage.

Top 7 Warning Signs Your Marriage is in Trouble

6. Arguing over the same subject repeatedly.If your arguments become routine with all

the same issues and no resolution, then yourmarriage is either standing still or dying fast. 7. Intimacy is a thing of the past.A considerable decline in physical affection

is one of the most recognized symptoms of afailing relationship. Intimacy is the act that allows us to bond as husband and wife. Ifyour partner is showing no or very little interest in intimacy with you then they areshowing little concern for their emotionalbond with you as a husband/wife.What recent clients are saying after completing The Couples Coaching Program:

“I wished I’d sought counseling before my divorce…I’m now better prepared

for a healthy relationship.”(Divorced mom of 2 children)

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The Independent News • www.theindnews.com OUTDOORS February 2015 • PAGE 15

V<>L:”“RX Urban Farm Girl V<>L:”“RX

WHO’S TEACHING WHOM?By Joanne M.W. Love

As I stood at the sink washing dishes oneday, I was startled by the sight of a cat, sailingthrough the air from our 2nd story roof. Itlanded with intention, right in front of me,into my kitchen window flower box. That ex-plains it! For months my freshly planted win-dow box had been slowly looking like a dirtbomb exploded. Even more, I’d been dying toknow how this cat was getting down from ourroof.

I’ll back up by explaining . . . every year, forno apparent reason, this barn cat decides to sitoutside our bedroom window at 11:00 pm andmeow….and meow. At first we thought shewas simply talking with all thecats in the valley. But one night,I realized she was talking to ME!She had learned my bedtime routine and could see the exactmoment I crawled into bed. Overa series of nights and Lassie-likescenes, this cat coaxed me to gointo our bathroom and open a particularscreen-less window. She would then comethrough the window and sprawl out on herback to sleep between us for the night. In themorning, she’d go back to the window andwait patiently until I noticed her, opened it,and she could leave. After finally witnessing how she dismounted

from our roof each day I realized this was apremeditated plan and I was purposefullypicked as her fool. As my husband watches me go to the bath-

room window and let the cat in and out eachday, he shakes his head and wonders why I don’t just refuse and make her come inthrough the door. I know it appears that thecat has trained ME, but somewhere along theway, I chose to let her. I quit worrying thatthis isn’t how things are “supposed” to bedone and decided to embrace the notion thatthe window can have just as much value asthe door. That’s an easy lesson to learn with a cat.

When applied to my kids, it becomes a multi-faceted lesson that assumes new meaningwith every passing year they grow. I remem-

ber, like yesterday, how I used to want themto follow me through the door, not the win-dow. I wanted them to dress nicely, take pianolessons, and play t-ball after school. The doorwas the expected way, the way everyone goeswhen you’re first raising kids. Life lessonswere straightforward and I happily led themthrough the path most travelled.

As they approached middle school age, itseems like overnight, I started hating the door.The door was still the path “everyone else is taking”, only now, I despised what that represented. That’s not what I intended forthem! As I watched their choice to go throughthe door be dictated solely by their friends,

I found myself wishing they’d takethe window instead. Urging them to think more independently, our discussions became focused on peerpressure and more figuratively, whatthe path through the door symbol-ized. “Just because everyone else isgoing through the door, doesn’t

mean you have to!”This year two of my kids are in high school.

The decisions they’re making have increasingconsequences. As I hear parents talking allaround me of their children’s upcomingchoices and paths, I’ll admit, I get fearful andwonder if the door isn’t the better way. Hav-ing my senior go through the door instead ofthe window at this pivotal stage in life woulddefinitely feel safer and easier. But once again,I know that’s not what I want to teach them.

Recently, some unique challenges have un-folded for each one of my kids. I feel my anxi-ety grow as it becomes clear that doors areunexpectedly closing. But as I watch them riseto the challenge of these new directions, I seestrength and resilience emerging. They’re em-bracing the windows they’re climbing throughand making it THEIR paths. They are teachingme that the growth experienced from takingthe window really does lend just as much, ifnot more, value as the door. As I let that crazy, quirky cat out the bath-

room window each morning, I smile everytime and wonder if she might be smarter than I thought.

© Urban Farm Girl: Raising Critters & Kids, Awarded Idaho Press Club’s Excellence in Journalism for best Weekly General Column.

Check out our websitetheindnews.comfor the latest fish stocking reports from Fish & Game

The ‘wise’ cat

And like the sands of time, The Battle ofthe Five Armies so doth ends The Hobbit/LOTR sextology. In total, that’s almost 1,200minutes of Middle Earth epicness, which, if you lined up those seconds end to end,would be long enough to go there and backagain from the Dawn of Faerie to the Domin-ion of Men more than sevenfold times. Five Armies is the best of The Hobbit tril-

ogy with a captivating storyline and excep-tional special effects. Like The Desolation ofSmaug, there is too much campiness. WhileI’d only recommend dropping ten bucks onthis film for diehard fans, the opening scenealone is worth your four bucks to see it onthe big screen. Absolutely cinematic. I had high expectations for Taken 3 with

Liam Neeson, but sadly, this trilogy ended ona poor note. Where the first two films werehigh-octane action, Taken 3 failed to deliveranything beyond Neeson’s character cement-ing his relationship with his daughter andhis Special Forces buddies. The charactersare all likeable and the acting is even abovepar, as usual. The storyline was just so lack-ing. Neeson is framed for the murder of hiswife (this should have been in the first fiveminutes, but doesn’t happen for thirty min-utes into the film) and then spends the nextninety minutes running from the police. Even when the police have a video tape

proving his innocence, the cops still keep upthe chase. It’s not enough that the film is

uCritic . . . . . .By Tom Wick, Universal Critic

void of action, what’s gone is all that ingenu-ity and improvisation which made the firsttwo films so much fun to watch. To be frank, you could wait for Redbox to

see Taken 3. I never thought I would saythat, but I have ☹. But don’t be too sad, themovie poster may tease you with “IT ENDSHERE,” but the ending leaves room to makethis trilogy a tetralogy. If there is a Taken 4let’s hope we see Neeson back at his best. As you may know, I normally don’t go to

the theaters to see biographies, but I did seeAngelina Jolie’s Unbroken. Mainly because,and I can’t believe I’m saying this, but thetrailers actually piqued my interest. Plus, you have a script by Joel and Ethan Cohen,based on Laura Hillenbrand’s book (shewrote Seabiscuit), and a score by AlexandreDesplat (his Godzilla score is still one of myfavorites). Based on the heartbreaking, realevents of POW Louis Zamperini, the mostamazing part of this story happens after themovie: his willingness to forgive his tormen-tors. The movie did so much to bring usemotionally to this point but didn’t show us that. Whether you pay ten dollars or waitto watch it at home, at some point youshould watch Unbroken. Surely Zamperini is a hero for serving our country and for hisendurance and integrity, all aptly shown inthe movie, but to truly forgive the man thattortured you…that’s a hero.

PAGE 16 • February 2015 COMMUNITY The Independent News • www.theindnews.com

By Philip A. JanquartIf you are going to serve the public, it helps

to know a little bit about the people you areprotecting. It’s part of the reason many law enforce-

ment agencies across the country attempt to connect with the community through“bullseye” training.The Eagle Police Department conducted its

own bullseye training in December at a localbank in Eagle – the bank wished to renameunnamed for security reasons – where a teamof officers carried out a simulated robbery.Bank employees were briefed in advance what day the robbery would go down, but didnot know what time it would happen. “It takes us into a fourth dimensional,

contextual-type of training,” said Eagle PoliceChief Patrick Calley. “Bank robberies are fairlyrare, but we still practice them. The goal is tohave officers go through a contextual motionin addition to what they learn in the class-room. We make it real, and we make it live, so when the officers get the call, they havemore realistic training backing them up.”

The RobberyThe mock robbery begins with a plain-

clothed officer entering the bank and handingone of the tellers a note that reads, “This is abullseye drill,” according to Calley. He saidthe note also gives instructions for the tellernot to “do anything realistic with your moneyor your alarms. Now hand the note back.”“The note will have something saying

‘please call this number.’ It goes to a controlguy who answers the phone and says, ‘911

emergency,’” Calley explained. “We do that toavoid tying up 911 dispatchers.”The officer then walks out of the building

and drives off in an unmarked vehicle.The training not only benefits law enforce-

ment officers, but bank employees who takepart. The branch manager of the unnamedbank said the mock robbery gave his employ-ees a taste of what a real robbery might belike and helped them flesh out what they may have done wrong or got right.“You are never quite prepared for a robbery,

even a fake one, but afterward the police debriefed us and we had our own wrap up,”he said. “All the employees said it wasn’t asdramatic as they thought it would be. It wascalm. It’s not the shoot ‘em up kind of stuffyou see on television, so it prepared us forthe real thing. It was a success.”The LessonsBanks consistently train personnel in

response to robbery situations, but the bulls-eye training helps them to determine whatthey could have done differently under livecircumstances. The police debriefing also revealed information bank employees mightnot otherwise receive in a real situation, suchas the time it took police to catch the criminaland how far he made it before being caught.Eagle Police were interested to know

from the employees the chain of events thatunfolded once the robbery took place, howemployees responded and the time that hadelapsed.“As in any situation, we (employees) all

note different things,” the branch manager ofanother area bank said. “Some people noticed

Eagle Police Building ‘Bridges of Trust’ with Community Through ‘Bullseye’ Trainingheight and weight, some people hair color.But it did show us that we need to be moreaware of who walks in and out of the branch,to take mental notes on things.”Calley said there can be pitfalls to the

training. A bullseye training event that tookplace in Washington state ended with a detective driving off with a real bag of moneyand a dye-pack that exploded inside his car.“Knock-on-wood, nothing like that has

happened here, but in Washington, the bankemployee got excited even though he knewwhat was going on,” he said. “The detectivewas driving down the road with the bag ofmoney and, “POOF!”The training, however, has already garnered

a win for police and the community.“We had a conversation with Mountain

West (Bank) tellers about two people fromFlorida who were using disguises and goingthrough the outside drive-through lane tocash stolen checks,” Calley explained. “Well,two days later we got a call from the bank saying that it might not be anything, but thatit looked like people wearing wigs were attheir outside drive-through lane. They starteddoing this in Florida and got caught in Eagle,Idaho.”The two suspects, Jennifer A. Gallagher, 31,

and Danielle M. Cook, 28, of Pembrook Pines,Florida. pled guilty to one count of bank fraudand one count of aggravated identity theft inU.S. District Court on Dec. 18, 2014.ApplicationsBullseye training isn’t limited to bank

robbery scenarios. Calley said the Eagle PoliceDepartment has implemented the training for

similar scenarios at other businesses like gasstations, but have also applied it to situationslike high-speed chases going through Eaglefrom any of the three state highways that encapsulate the city.“Eagle has been doing this for as long as

I can remember,” he said. They simulate“Everything from an officer down rescue toschool lockdown drills, which we do aboutthree times a year in the schools. We’ll putthe school on a lockdown and the officers gothrough and check that doors are locked andkids are hidden. We have conversations with the kids, that in the event somethinghappens, this is what it would look like, andwhat to do and what not to do.”Much of the purpose behind the training

is to help law enforcement officers become familiar with as much of the community aspossible.“We know the clerks … and if someone

walked in and did some kind of high-tech robbery take-over, we would know that theguy sitting there is not really the bank man-ager,” Calley said. “The Police are constantlyinteracting with the people in our communityin a training environment. That trainingcould be 30 seconds, or it could be a longerevent. When we do this, there are bridges oftrust that are built, so when things do happenin Eagle, we are better prepared. It’s not ashock to us, and in today’s world, it’s part ofthe reason we don’t have Ferguson issues, orNew York or L.A. (Los Angeles) issues becausepeople here really care about the communityand there is that interconnective trust.”

We too want to be part of that! The Eagle Police is participating in the 2015 Bowl for Kids’ Sake.

We encourage you to show your support for this great initiative. You can do this by:

Donate to our team… You can do this online! http://www.bbbsidaho.orgOur team is Eagle Police Department.

Or stop by the station, we will have a receipt for your donations!Create your own team • Become a Big! • Sponsor by donating gifts to be used as door prizes

Business donors, please contact the Eagle Police at 577-3715

Happy New Year! What were your resolutions? Exercise, financial goals, recreational family time… All worthy of your efforts.If you are looking for a way to extend all of those, The Eagle Police Department would

like to have you be part of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Idaho! The Big Brothers BigSisters is the nation’s largest mentoring network that depends on volunteers and donations.Big Brothers Big Sisters matches adult volunteers with children in a mentoring relationship.These relationships build strong futures for our children. The children are those that need it most…those in homes with unique challenges. The Bigs is proven to strengthen lives, in that we have stronger communities.