A Guide to College Admissions and Success for Hispanics

Hispanic students make up the fastest growing demographic group in Idaho’s education system, according to a report prepared by the University of Idaho in partnership with the Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs. They have very high aspirations for continuing education beyond high school but face challenges in terms of achievement and understanding what’s involved in applying for college.

How can we help these deserving students fulfill their postsecondary aspirations?

The October report is the second in a series of “Idaho at a Glance” policy briefs on Hispanics and education in Idaho. The first report was issued in 2011 and summarized the growing Hispanic student population, achievements in K-12, and the educational attainment of Idaho’s Hispanic students.

Geared and tailored for this audience, my new book will include specific guidance on Choosing a College → Explore Your Interests → Visit the Campus → Applying to College → Getting Ready as a Senior → Cost & Financial Aid → College Life → Success Stories → ;

Margie Gonzalez, the commission’s executive director, added the commission is committed to providing the most updated data on Idaho’s Hispanic community in order to raise public awareness of the major issues facing the state’s communities.

“Education continues to be our top priority, and we are thrilled to partner with the University of Idaho in releasing ‘Hispanics and Education II,’” Gonzalez said.

Hispanic enrollment growth is outpacing non-Hispanic growth in Idaho’s public schools, colleges and universities. From 2000 to 2011 there was a 75 percent increase in enrollment of Hispanic students in K-12 schools, compared to an increase of 8 percent in non-Hispanic student enrollment. Hispanic student enrollment in four-year universities increased 118 percent, while non-Hispanic student enrollment increased 9 percent. Hispanic students make up 16 percent of K-12 public school enrollment and 6.5 percent of enrollment at Idaho’s public universities.

However, one barrier to higher education is the rising cost of tuition across the nation. According to the new report, almost all parents in Idaho, Hispanic and non-Hispanic alike, include grants and scholarships as part of their plan to pay for college — 96 percent and 88 percent, respectively. Unfortunately, state-funded, need-based aid in Idaho is very low: in 2008, only $63 was spent per undergraduate student, compared to $611 nationally. Most data in the new report come from the University of Idaho’s Micron STEM Education Research Initiative, a five-year study of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education in Idaho (www.uidaho.edu/research/stem/micronstemed). This report highlights results of surveys of seventh-and 10th-grade students and their parents as well as a general statewide survey.

“Providing rigorous STEM education is a key strategy for increasing access to good paying jobs for Idaho’s students, Hispanic and non-Hispanic alike,” according to Melinda Hamilton, director of the university’s STEM initiatives. By 2018, 90 percent of STEM jobs will require at least some postsecondary education. Annual wages for Idaho’s STEM occupations were roughly twice as high as for all other occupations in 2011.

Because STEM occupations tend to have good benefits and opportunities for career growth, supporting students in subjects that prepare them for these occupations is important. Findings presented in the new report show that in seventh-grade, Hispanic students tend to have attitudes about math and science that are similar to those of their non-Hispanic peers.

However, by 10th grade, Hispanic students are less likely to say they like math and science, less comfortable asking questions in class, and less likely to feel they can get extra help in math or science outside of class time or at home. At the same time, Hispanic parents of 10th-graders are more than twice as likely as non-Hispanic parents to say they wish they had more time to be involved in their child’s education — 48 percent of Hispanic parents versus 19 percent of non-Hispanic parents. However, Hispanic parents are much more likely than non-Hispanic parents to say they lack the knowledge to help with math and science homework — 51 percent versus 26 percent for math, and 44 percent versus 13 percent for science. Understanding the influence of social, cultural and familial factors is key as researchers and educators around the state work to strengthen STEM learning and literacy. In turn, the research and data summarized in this report provide current, factual information about Idaho’s unique population and priorities.

“Our policy briefs on Hispanics and education are intended to inform policy discussions and program development on a wide range of topics with implications for this growing part of Idaho’s population,” said Priscilla Salant, one of the report’s co-authors and director of the university’s Office of Community Partnerships.

This publication and others on topics such as rural education, broadband access and Hispanic health are available at www.uidaho.edu/IdahoataGlance.

The Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs is a non-partisan state agency that provides services to the Hispanic community and serves as a liaison between the community and government entities. Working toward economic, educational, and social equality, the Commission identifies and monitors programs and legislation, and researches problems and issues facing Idaho's Hispanic community. The Commission identifies solutions and provides recommendations to the governor, legislature, and other organizations concerning issues facing the State's Hispanic population.

Here is the link to the original press release: http://www.uidaho.edu/newsevents/item?name=ui-report-details-idahos-hispanic-students-attitudes-and-experiences

Dr. Darron Smith: "Regarding the recent LDS declaration disavowing its racist past, let me point you to a most intriguing piece."

Post by Darron Smith.

Why No Apology for the Priesthood Ban?

rationalfaiths.com

SOURCE: http://rationalfaiths.com/apology-priesthood-ban/

EXCERPT:
Is this why the essay buries in footnote 13 its one example of a Church leader writing that the belief was “quite general” among Mormons that “the Negro race has been cursed for taking a neutral position in that great contest”?  Is this why this lone instance cites to personal correspondence by Joseph Fielding Smith (pointedly designated as “Apostle”) in which he mentions the “fence-sitting” teaching, but hastens to add it “is not the official position of the Church [and is] merely the opinion of men”?  Is this why the one example comes from an obscure and unpublished piece of personal correspondence rather than more easily accessed and published sources such as Joseph Fielding Smith’s “The Way to Perfection,” “Doctrines of Salvation,”¹ or “Answers to Gospel Questions”?²

One can only imagine the degree of document winnowing Church historians engaged in to find this one cited example from the 1907 personal correspondence of “Apostle Joseph Fielding Smith.”  More germane and more accessible would be the 1949 First Presidency Statement in which the teaching that blacks are not allowed the Priesthood is described not as a policy but a doctrine: “It is not a matter of the declaration of a policy but of direct commandment from the Lord, on which is founded the doctrine of the Church from the days of its organization, to the effect that Negroes may become members of the Church but that they are not entitled to the priesthood at the present time.”

In addition to inheriting the curse of Cain, misbehavior of blacks in premortality is put forth as a rationale for the ban in the 1949 First Presidency Statement:  “[F]ailure of the right to enjoy in mortality the blessings of the priesthood is a handicap which spirits are willing to assume in order that they might come to earth.   Under this principle there is no injustice whatsoever involved in this deprivation as to the holding of the priesthood by the Negroes.”

A Contrversial Look at Bioethics and Egg Donation

The infertility industry in the United States has grown to a multi-billion dollar business. What is its main commodity? Human eggs. Young women all over the world are solicited by ads—via college campus bulletin boards, social media, online classifieds—offering up to $100,000 for their “donated” eggs, to “help make someone’s dream come true.” But who is this egg donor? Is she treated justly? What are the short- and long-term risks to her health? The answers to these questions will disturb you . . .

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008RE1VV8?tag=info0a371-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B008RE1VV8&adid=00PRARV7P7TWTFE5S671

Produced by The Center for Bioethics and Culture (Lines That Divide, 2009), Eggsploitation spotlights the booming business of human eggs told through the tragic and revealing stories of real women who became involved and whose lives have been changed forever.

Eggsploitation makes a powerful, provocative and, ultimately, modest proposal: women who consider donating eggs have a right to complete information on the risks involved. Lured by promises of sometimes desperately needed money and a chance to help another woman, vulnerable young women face unknown dangers to their health in an unregulated industry. Eggsploitation is a compelling call for oversight and research so that egg donors can be truly informed before giving consent.

     Patricia Ireland, President of NOW (National Organization for Women) 1991-2001, author of What Women Want

It is a scandal that the infertility industry has gone so many years without collecting adequate safety data on the risks of multiple egg extraction. This makes informed consent impossible for the thousands of young women now undergoing so-called ‘egg donation’ procedures. Every young woman considering ‘egg donation’ as a way to generate income for school tuition or other critical expenditures should see this film first. And policy makers need to insist that we finally conduct the research that should have been done years ago.

     Judy Norsigian, Executive Director, Our Bodies Ourselves

I've been a women's rights advocate since 1963, but this film was an eye-opener for me because I knew nothing about the multi- billion dollar egg donation industry, the physical risks to young women that accompany egg donation, and the need for research in this area.

I hope this film gets the wide distribution it deserves because the information in it is vital for young women in the US and abroad, their significant others, their families, and their societies.

     Sonia Pressman Fuentes, Lawyer, Author, Public Speaker, Feminist Activist;
     Cofounder of NOW (National Organization for Women); First Woman Attorney,
     Office of the General Counsel, EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission)

This powerful, important and informative documentary gives viewers true insight into the egg donation industry and helps us to better understand the desperate need for regulation and oversight. All prospective egg donors (and recipients) as well as all practitioners and agency employees in the egg donation industry should be required to watch this film!

     Wendy Kramer, Director and Co-Founder, Donor Sibling Registry

Eggsploitation is a powerful and compelling film on the extreme risks and disregard shown to women . . . a must see for all egg donors and fertility patients. The infertility industry's practice of reproductive endocriminology is a "dirty little secret" and should be secret no more.

     Lynne Millican, Founder, LupronVictimsHub.com

What fertility clinics and egg donation agencies may not tell you. This film should be seen by any woman considering becoming—or using—an egg donor so that she can better understand the medical risks involved.

     Diane Allen, Infertility Network, Canada

Eggsploitation is a compelling and revealing documentary that gives the viewer an up-close look at the flipside of the infertility industry. You will meet women whose lives were changed forever after undergoing the procedure for egg donation. Their disturbing and heart wrenching stories tell a cautionary tale to all women who are considering egg donation for the purpose of in-vitro fertilization or embryonic stem cell research. A must see film for researchers, physicians, professors, college students and feminists.

     Kelly Vincent-Brunacini, President, Feminists Choosing Life New York

One blogger says
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/ellenpainterdollar/2012/01/eggsploitations-bad-science/

Eggsploitation’s overall message is that the combination of infertile patients desperate for viable eggs and young women desperate for money leads to an exploitative system in which no one is looking out for egg donors’ well-being. It argues that donors, who must go through the same medical procedures as IVF patients do (daily hormone injections and surgical retrieval of eggs), are participating in a potentially risky procedure without truly informed consent.

I have no argument with this message. I have written often about how the lack of oversight of the fertility industry, combined with market pressures, seriously compromise the ability of those involved (both patients and donors) to make thoughtful, deliberate, and informed decisions about the medical, emotional, financial, and ethical dimensions of reproductive technology.

My complaint with this film is not with its message, but with its method. It relies almost solely on anecdote to illustrate the possible risks of egg donation, focusing on the admittedly compelling stories of egg donors who had serious medical complications after donation.

I love anecdote. I put a lot of stock in people’s stories of dealing with infertility, genetic disorders, troubling prenatal diagnoses, etc. So my problem with Eggsploitation is not that it puts stories front and center. (In fact, one of the things I struggle to understand is why several of this filmmaker’s colleagues and supporters have been so vocal in criticizing my “narrative,” or story-based approach to reproductive ethics, while also praising a film that is almost all story. Go figure.)

My problem with the film is that it uses several egg donors’ stories as a scare tactic to imply that fertility drugs cause serious illnesses, including potentially fatal cancers, without providing data to back up those claims.
Fertility drugs may indeed cause serious illnesses, including cancers, as I discussed in Thursday’s post. But research is ongoing, and likely not occurring at the pace it should be given the growth of fertility medicine; one of the film’s arguments is that clinicians are so focused on getting people pregnant that they are not adequately concerned with women’s health, which is a reasonable argument.

Project Lydia @ProjectLydiaNW Products Bring Joy!

Source: ProjectLydia.org

Robina Naigaga
Children: 9
Children in school: 5 (Ages 14, 16, 18, 20, and 22) Widow/co-wife: yes/yes

After the death of her husband, Robina Naigaga struggled to support herself and the nine children he left behind. Though her four oldest children have since then matured and now live on their own, Robina uses all of the money she earns in Project Lydia to feed her five remaining children, pay for their school fees, and buy basic necessities for their home. Robina hopes to someday save enough money to purchase iron sheets to repair her home.

Project Lydia @ProjectLydiaNW Products Bring Joy! http://t.co/IGJbRbXo7Q
— Boise Idaho News (@boisenews) October 16, 2013

Project Lydia Products Bring Joy
PROJECT LYDIA began in 2009 by missionaries, Cliff and Julie Pash and is an expansion of Advancing the Kingdom Ministries which serves Uganda, East Africa.

The project helps local widows and abandoned women overcome adversity and thrive in every area of their lives. PROJECT LYDIA teaches skills, provides a spiritual support system, and opens doors for the women to support their families. The women meet weekly to work on projects together which are sold around the world.

Projects include: recycled paper bead necklaces, baskets, and authentic Ugandan dolls with a story of a local woman of courage who also overcame adversity.

Many women lives have been transformed through PROJECT LYDIA as they gain resources to buy seed for their gardens, send their children to school, purchase medical care, and improve their housing.

PROJECT LYDIA addresses a critical need of many women around the world. Unfortunately, in developing countries many women are treated as possessions and children and wives are often left destitute and betrayed when the husband finds a new, younger wife. The Pash’s heart broke for the women and thus began PROJECT LYDIA.

Cliff and Julie Pash never had dreams of becoming missionaries or of going to Africa. The Pash’s owned a thriving business and enjoyed great success.

Life took quite a turn for the Pash’s and at the age of fifty, they answered a call God put in our hearts to serve in Uganda. The Pash’s gave away much of their earthly possessions and set out for a journey in East Africa to serve a network of Muslim villages with no electricity or running tap water.
The Pash’s were transformed as they saw the almighty God, creator of the universe at work, using them to change hearts and lives for His purposes. Thank you for being a part of PROJECT LYDIA.
Authentic Ugandan Dolls, Beaded Necklaces and Handmade Baskets are produced by the Ladies of Nawansega, most of whom are widows and abandoned wives.

Each Monday, these ladies gather to encourage each other, share with each other, pray for each other. They spend their day producing these products, some of which is sold in the United States through ATK International, Inc.

The small incomes alleviate the worst of the poverty and helps assist with school fees, clothing and food.

“Our God will give you the ability to create wealth, and by doing so, affirms His covenant!”

@ProjectLydiaNW highlights a deserving woman and family they helped in Uganda! http://t.co/LnNFlJTcPF #africa #charity #idaho #boise
— Michael Strickland (@MichaelStrickla) October 16, 2013

Record Shows Tom Dale Did Not Vote To Establish Nampa's Mercy Hospital Urban Renewal District

The story regarding formation of an urban renewal district around Nampa’s old Mercy Hospital has been filled with emotion and accusations.

Here is a deeper look at the record.

The Idaho Press Tribune published a questionnaire with Nampa Mayoral Candidate Bob Henry, on Friday, Oct 4. 2013. It included this exchange:

IPT:  SHOULD THE CITY HAVE MOVED FORWARD WITH THE OLD MERCY HOSPITAL PROJECT? HOW DID YOU VOTE OR HOW WOULD YOU HAVE VOTED ON THE MATTER?

Henry:  No. My vote was to not support the Old Mercy Hospital project. I stand by that decision.

Did Henry vote No? Did Nampa Mayor Tom Dale ever support an urban renewal district?

Further analysis is needed on this issue. On the vote which established the Mercy URD, Bob Henry voted YES to support establishment of the district. While it is true that Henry did vote NO in two earlier procedural votes to keep the ordinance alive and moving forward; on the critical vote which actually established the district, he changed his mind and voted YES.

The mayor's role in this process was to vote yes two times in order to keep the process moving forward. The first vote was to authorize the city attorney to draft the ordinance. After the second reading of the ordinance, the third reading was postponed until a second public hearing could be held.

After that public hearing on May 6, a vote was taken to move forward with the third reading of the ordinance. The Mayor voted yes - do the third reading. By Idaho State law, an ordinance doesn't become law until after the vote of city council following the third reading. After the third reading, Bob Henry changed his mind and voted YES to support establishment of the District. Voting in favor, Pam White, Martin Thorne, and Bob Henry. Opposed, Stephen Kren.

Mayor Dale did not have the opportunity to vote on establishing the district.

This information is all a matter of public record and can be found in Nampa City Council minutes.

Climate Change Event: Saturday, July 27 at 10:00 a.m. at Boise Farmers Market

Idaho farmers, wineries, restaurants, and elected officials highlight
the critical links between climate change and our food supply

(BOISE) — Idaho farmers and food producers from across the state will speak at the Boise Farmers Market about the impacts of extreme weather and drought on Idaho agriculture and the need for a plan to address climate change.

Growers, businesses, and concerned citizens will come together for “Producing Food, Reducing Carbon: An Event for People Who Grow and Eat Food,” encouraging Idahoans to act on climate and support President Obama’s initiatives to limit carbon emissions. 

Saturday’s event at the Boise Farmers Market will feature live music, speakers, opportunities to “act on climate,” and local farmers and artisan food producers selling their products at the market.  Learn more about the nationwide movement to act on climate change by visiting www.iwillact.us or by searching #ActOnClimate or #IWillAct on Twitter.

What:          Rally to spur citizen action and support of climate change action at the federal level, focusing on the impacts of climate change on Idaho’s food production.

Who:            Sen. Cherie Buckner-Webb: Member of Idaho Senate Agriculture Committee

Janie Burns: Owner, Meadowlark Farm (Nampa)

Chance Requa: Owner, Requa Farms, Inc. (Twin Falls)

Greg Koenig: Owner, Koenig Distillery and Winery (Caldwell)

Dave Krick: Owner, Bittercreek Alehouse and Redfeather Lounge (Boise)

When:            Saturday, July 27, 2013, 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. MDT

Where:        Boise Farmers Market, Corner of 11^th and Grove St., Boise

Building Communities and Embracing Diversity

In every county in Idaho, and all across America, I see young people tutoring and mentoring, building homes, caring for seniors, and feeding the hungry. I also see them using their entrepreneurial spirit to build companies, start non-profits, and drive our new economy. We live in a Brave New World in this age of social media. We stand at this magnificent moment with the ability to unleash the American imagination. A new generation of Americans shares our spirit.

 They want a future that belongs to them — a future that is for everyone.

We know there are some people who do understand the future, but too often as they gaze to the distance, they fail to know how, to make sure that it serves all of our people. And then there are others who fight tirelessly for the people, but who don’t see beyond the horizon. Today , I will share my work, experiences, and thoughts about how we can find  more common ground.

In a community that is truly balanced for literacy, how you teach is as important as what you teach. That's one of the conclusions my network of teachers, administrators, librarians and curriculum supervisors has reached. Like most educators today, we've been changing our practices to reflect new knowledge about learning and teaching. Our students are reading more, writing more, and learning through themes.

Yet we share a mixed bag of excitement and uneasiness — excitement about the learning taking place in our classrooms, homes, and libraries every day, and uneasiness about the public perception that schools are not as good as they used to be, especially when it comes to literacy instruction. We wonder: How can we maintain the good practices of the past without ignoring current evidence about how children learn? Have we gone too far in one direction? What we're searching for, then, is balance, and in that search, concerns common to all educators have surfaced.

Interesting Facts: Between 2000 and 2010, Idaho’s Latino population grew by 73 percent. Latinos promise to be very important to the future of the Idaho.

How do we better address the needs of underserved populations?

In this visually driven age, let's start by considering the needs of reluctant readers:

Although the ultimate goal of reading and writing is to construct meaning, what children know about words affects their ability to make meaning. When word knowledge is limited, as is often the case with struggling readers and writers, so much attention must be given to figuring out individual words that little energy is left for comprehending text and expressing ideas. We see how truly labor-intensive this process can be when we
observe the many pauses that punctuate students’ reading and writing as they struggle with words.

Skilled readers process print quickly and efficiently, so they can devote their full attention to meaning. Because they have well-developed sight vocabularies, they are able to rapidly and automatically identify many words. When skilled readers encounter an unknown word, they have little difficulty determining what it is. They are able to apply their knowledge of word analysis strategies and spelling patterns to read the word and follow up by cross-checking the results with the surrounding context.
___
Middle School teaching is one of my passions, and because struggling readers and writers in the intermediate grades have often experienced grade-level rather than developmentally appropriate instruction, and an emphasis on rote memorization rather than conceptualization for word learning, they frequently demonstrate inconsistencies in their knowledge of how words work. They may recall the spellings of certain more advanced words but have difficulty correctly representing basic vowel patterns, blends, or digraphs. These “holes” are significant and suggest an instructional situation in which the students did not have adequate time to build a solid foundation before instruction moved on to more abstract issues. Without a firm understanding of underlying concepts, the more complex aspects of spelling become difficult, if not impossible, for them to grasp.

How to Figure Out Who Posted a Forum on a Group Blog

Nothing is 'secure' on the internet. A lot of people have learned this the hard way. Users need to very careful about entering personal information. Such data can be used against you as well as for you.

And of course, the reverse side of this coin also applies to you.There are many broad, diversified, and sometimes controversial posts, blog entries, and comments on group blogs. What are some ways of figuring out who posts what?

For example, underneath a blog post, go to where it says the number of comments, for example "15 comments" (it's underlined) and a five-fingered hand will appear. Right click and click on "Inspect Element (Q)" and it will give you a javascript answer to the question: "who posted this entry?"

If someone else enters something after me, if will be a number equal to the number of comments entered. The answer will be in javascript. Simple to read for someone who knows even a modicum of programming.

If you cannot see "Inspect Element (Q)," there are a few scenarios that might explain this.


1. You're not running a Microsoft O/S or,
2. You don't have java running in your machine, or.
At this point I'm not sure which applies.

From top to bottom, your screen should read:
 
Back
Forward (greyed out)
Reload
_______
Bookmark this Page
Save Page as
_______
View Background Image
Select all
_______
View Page Source
View Page Info
________
Inspect Element (Q)


Another other possibility is that you're not signed on with administrative rights in your logon on your computer only. Or, you're using Internet Explorer but not Firefox or you've never installed developer tools when it was offered. Don't know which. Normally it's associated with Firefox as a given to choose, but not other things.

If any of the above are true, then click on Page Source and it will give you the "entire" applet that is running in the background and you'll have to 'deduce' which part is the part you're being controlled by. It can be huge, so be prepared to look at a lot of scripting.

Whomever, controls a website on the level of administrator rights allows only certain things to be seen and certain things to be done and seen. It is limited. Posters have a certain amount of control over their own postings but not over others.

For example, you can find out what happened to an entry from a previous version of the blog from either cache or archives. It's helpful if you can pull up a DOS prompt and work from that. Many articles posted on group blogs are limited, unless you access them at the server level. If you can see page info, the 4th item is "permissions" and it tells you what you can and can't do.

A domain such as http://youngpeoplespavilion.com is a .com (commercial) setup. It runs under DNA (Doman Name System rules).

1) Domain names are organized right to left, with general descriptors to the right, and specific descriptors to the left. It is like family surnames to the right, specific person names to the left. These descriptors are called "domains".
2) The "top level domains" (TLD, or parent domain) is to the far right of a domain name. Mid level domains (children and grandchildren) are in the middle. The machine name, often "www", is to the far left.
3) Levels of domains are separated by periods ("dots").

If www does not appear, it is assumed (World Wide Web). For example http://www.yahoo.com and yahoo. com both send you the same place. If you want to go to your email for to, ie. mail.yahoo.com and it sends you directly there without the www added.

In the Spotlight: BreAna Bailey Shows Class, Beauty and Spirit

There are some great professional models in here the west. But once in a while, a newcomer arises on the scene who shows as much talent and grace as any seasoned pro.

BreAna Bailey is one such person. I met this charming young woman a few years ago as she worked in her family business. Since then I have enjoyed her gentle manner, intelligence and righteous emphasis on church and high standards.

BreAna is a good role model for my young daughters, who always smile when they see her, too.  Her presence reminds me of this quote:

As we look at the history of this earth and at the history of the restored Church of Jesus Christ, it becomes obvious that women hold a special place in our Father’s plan for the eternal happiness and well-being of His children. - Dieter F. Uchtdorf

BreAna is one of those great individuals who has come to understand the value of focusing personally -- to become the best person that she can be. This approach adds to the quality of the lives of everyone she comes in contact with.

Therefore let your light so shine before this people, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven (3 Nephi 12:16).

Best of luck to  BreAna as she heads to college. With such a bright person, we can expect a sparkling future.

See more of BreAna's photos at:

Bella Xpressions Photography

Idaho Delegation Encourages Public Comment On Gateway West Project EIS

From the desk of Michael Strickland
 
Members of the Idaho Congressional Delegation are calling for "strong public input" as the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) opens the public comment period on the agency's final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the Gateway West Power Project.

The project is the result of plans by Idaho Power and Rocky Mountain Power to better ship power throughout the West via the Gateway West Transmission Line, which would run through Wyoming and all of southern Idaho. Following an initial review of the EIS released last week, Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch, along with Congressmen Mike Simpson and Raúl Labrador, released the following statement.

"A broad group of Idahoans – people most affected by the Gateway West power lines – worked in good faith and underwent a strenuous process to develop a route that everyone could agree on only to have their efforts disregarded by the BLM," noted Crapo, Risch, Simpson and Labrador. "We encourage Idahoans to let the agency know how they feel about this new plan through the many public hearings scheduled throughout Idaho."

A 60 day public comment period now begins with BLM expected to hold nine meetings throughout the state. For more information about the meetings in Idaho and Wyoming, please visit BLM’s website by clicking here.

Idaho meetings are planned as follows:
Boise, May 6,  4:00 to 7:00 PM, Boise Hotel and Conference Center
Kuna, May 7, 4:00 to 7:00 PM, Old Gym
Murphy, May 8,  4:00 to 7:00 PM, Owyhee County Museum
Melba, May 9,  4:00 to 7:00 PM, Melba High School
Twin Falls, May 13, 4:00 to 7:00 PM, Red Lion Canyon Springs Inn
Burley, May 14, 4:00 to 7:00 PM, Best Western Inn & Conference Center
American Falls, May 14, 4:00 to 7:00 PM, American Falls Intermediate School
Pocatello, May 15, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM, Ramada Inn
Montpelier, May 16, 4:00 to 7:00 PM, National OR/CA Trail Center

Crapo, Risch To President: Don’t Cut Timber Sales

From the desk of Michael Strickland
 
Senators question Forest Service decision, point to impact on jobs, local economies
 
Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch have joined a bipartisan letter led by Senators Jon Tester (D-Montana.), Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) warning the President against reducing timber sales on Forest Service lands.

The Senators are joined by Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Max Baucus (D-Montana), Mark Begich (D-Alaska), Mike Enzi (R-Wyoming), Jeff Flake (R-Arizona), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota), Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon), and Mark Udall (D-Colorado).

The Forest Service’s budget proposal for 2014 would cut timber sales by 15 percent.  The Senators say the plan threatens jobs and small businesses and is inconsistent with the agency’s previous forest restoration efforts.

“At a time when we need to be increasing timber harvest, the Administration’s blueprint sets us even further back,” the Senators wrote President Obama.  “The cuts would have serious consequences for counties and businesses in our states and across the country.  We urge you to reconsider proposed cuts in timber sales and instead find new ways to boost timber supply in a responsible manner.”
The Senators note that in addition to boosting the market’s timber supply and creating jobs, increasing the timber harvest will help to mitigate wildfires.  Dead trees combined with historic drought to burn a near-record 9.3 million acres nationwide in 2012.

The Senators’ bipartisan letter to President Obama is available below and online HERE.

Author DAVID JAMES DUNCAN featured at Idaho Writers and Readers Rendezvous

A terrific line up of authors and publishing professionals are coming to this year's Idaho Writers and Readers Rendezvous. One of the best is James David Duncan.

Duncan is a father, a renowned fly fisher, a practitioner of what he calls “direct, small-scale compassion-activism,” and the author of the novels The River Why and The Brothers K, the story collection River Teeth, and the nonfiction collections My Story as Told by Water and God Laughs & Plays. He is also co-author of two fast-response activist books, The Heart of the Monster (2011, co-written with Rick Bass) and Citizen’s Dissent (2003, co-written with Wendell Berry).

Duncan’s work has won three Pacific Northwest Booksellers Awards, three Pushcart Prizes, a Lannan Fellowship, the Western States Book Award for nonfiction, a National Book Award nomination, an honorary doctorate from University of Portland, the American Library Association’s 2003 Award for the Preservation of Intellectual Freedom (with co-author Wendell Berry), and inclusion in more than forty national anthologies including Best American Essays, Best American Sports Writing, Best American Catholic Writing, and Best American Spiritual Writing (six times).

In a new Afterword written for this twentieth-anniversary edition, David James Duncan reflects on the genesis of his book and on the surprising link between fishing and wisdom.

The River Why, Twentieth-Anniversary Edition: Since its publication by Sierra Club Books more than two decades ago, The River Why has become a classic, standing with Norman Maclean’s A River Runs Through It as our era’s most widely read fiction about fly-fishing. This captivating and exuberant tale is told by Gus Orviston, an irreverent young fly fisherman and one of the most appealing heroes in contemporary American fiction.

Leaving behind a madcap, fishing-obsessed family, Gus decides to strike out on his own, taking refuge in a remote riverbank cabin to pursue his own fly-fishing passion with unrelenting zeal. But instead of finding fishing bliss, Gus becomes increasingly troubled by the degradation of the natural world around him and by the spiritual barrenness of his own life. His desolation drives him on a reluctant quest for self-discovery and meaning—ultimately fruitful beyond his wildest dreams.

Stylistically adept and ambitious in scope, The River Why is a touching and powerful novel by an important voice in American fiction.

THE IDAHO WRITERS & READERS RENDEZVOUS 2013

Come to the Rendezvous!

In the early nineteenth century the Rendezvous was the event of the year on the western frontier. Mountain men and Native Americans trapping along the streams and valleys of the Rocky Mountains gathered annually to sell their furs, trade for supplies, and tell stories. In that tradition, we welcome you to our annual gathering of writers and readers...

Featuring Keynote Speaker: New York Times bestselling author of over fifteen novels
C. J. Box

and a top-notch lineup of authors, editors, agents, screenwriters,
educators, publishers, and other industry professionals

• Author panels
• Writing workshops
• One-on-ones: Manuscript and pitch sessions
• Contests (cash awards!): Short story, poetry, short screenplay, and exciting new "collaborative story telling" categories
• Open mic nights
• Book signings and marketplace
• Small-group dining with an agent, editor, or author
• Saturday night awards banquet
• PLUS Pre-Conference Interactive Workshop on Thursday afternoon

Click here to learn about the speakers and program schedule, or to sign up for a one-on-one appointment for a manuscript evaluation (fiction, non-fiction, or screenplay), or pitch session.

CONTESTS FOR SHORT STORIES, SHORT SCREENPLAYS

University of Idaho Receives $3 million Grant to Develop Teaching Methods, Classroom Technology

From the desk of Michael Strickland

The J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation is seeking to equip and train the next generation of teachers to help improve student achievement by awarding a $7.3 million grant to establish a pair of Doceõ Centers for Innovation and Learning at two Idaho universities, one public and one private.

The University of Idaho and Northwest Nazarene University will establish centers on their respective campuses. The U-Idaho center, located in the College of Education, will receive $3 million of the grant over three years and will focus on developing new teaching methods that incorporate technology in the classroom, known as blended learning. Funding for years two and three of the grant are contingent upon research results.

“The collaboration between the Albertson Foundation and the University of Idaho to enhance existing pedagogy is indicative of our mission as a national research university,” said M. Duane Nellis, president of the University of Idaho. “The research findings we anticipate as a result of this partnership will enable teachers and students to make the best choices in how we, as a state and nation, embrace technology in the classroom well into the 21st century.”

The Doceõ Centers will be launched in the spring of 2013 and will encompass the latest hardware and software available to educators.

Corinne Mantle-Bromley, dean of the University of Idaho’s College of Education, said the centers will help Idaho and other states gain a much deeper understanding of technology’s influence on student learning.

Research and evaluation of research findings will help inform the education community and contribute to the most effective strategies for blending technology into teaching, Mantle-Bromley said.

“What makes this funding so important is the research function that it supports. We will constantly be studying new, emerging technology tools. It will provide classroom teachers and school administrators with powerful information and findings on best practices. We will have the opportunity to partner with teachers as we study technology and its impact on P-12 student learning.”

The J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation is a Boise-based, private family foundation committed to limitless learning for all Idahoans. Since 1997, the foundation has invested more than $500 million to improve education in Idaho. For more information about the Foundation visit www.jkaf.org.

Federal Judge Larry Burns will share his perspective on the judicial confirmation process at Northwest Nazarene University

The Alumni Association of
Northwest Nazarene University
invites you as our guest to a presentation by
The Honorable Larry Burns
U.S. Federal Judge for the Southern District of California
and alumnus of Northwest Nazarene University
Tuesday, the ninth of April, at 7:00 p.m.
in the N.N.U. Little Theatre
512 Holly Street

Judge Burns will share his perspective on the judicial confirmation process and how his faith influences his job. He will also cover topics of interest likely including his most recent case that involves the mass shooting in Tucson. Judge Burns attended NNU 1972-74 then transferred to Pt. Loma. He was appointed to office by President George W. Bush.

Questions may be directed to the Alumni Office alumni@nnu.edu or 208.467.8841

Born in Pasadena, California, Burns received a B.A. from Point Loma College in 1976 and a J.D. from the University of San Diego School of Law in 1979. He was a Deputy district attorney of San Diego County, California from 1979 to 1985. He was an assistant U.S. Attorney of the Southern District of California from 1985 to 1997.

Judicial service

In 1997, Burns was appointed to serve as a magistrate judge for the United States District Court for the Southern District of California.

Burns was nominated by President George W. Bush on May 1, 2003, to a new seat on the Southern District of California created by 116 Stat. 1758. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on September 24, 2003 by a vote of 91-0. Burns received his commission on September 25, 2003.

On January 12, 2011, Chief Judge Alex Kozinski of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit selected Burns to be the presiding judge for the trial of Jared Lee Loughner. Burns was selected, in part, for his prior experience with cases involving the federal death penalty. A judge from outside of Arizona was sought when all judges in the United States District Court for the District of Arizona recused themselves from the case due to their ties to the late John Roll, a federal judge who had been killed in the shooting.

On December 20, 2012; Burns wrote an op-ed column in the Los Angeles Times calling for a reinstatement of the federal assault weapons ban. In the article, Burns described himself as an ardent conservative and gun owner who nonetheless felt there was no "social utility" for high-capacity clips. Besides the 31-round magazine Loughner used in his Glock, Burns cited as examples the 100-round drum allegedly used by James Eagan Holmes in the 2012 Aurora shooting and the 30-round magazine used by Adam Lanza in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. Burns called for Congress to reinstate the ban without the grandfather clause of the original ban, which allowed those who already owned a weapon on the banned list to keep it. "If we can't find a way to draw sensible lines with guns that balance individual rights and the public interest," Burns wrote, "we may as well call the experiment with American democracy a failure."

T.J. Thomson In the Twitterverse

@topfornews Hoooray for TJ!
— Michael Strickland (@MichaelStrickla) March 28, 2013

T.J. Thomson: "Promoting Healthy, Active Lifestyles for Boise's Children is My No. 1 Priority" bit.ly/11PyPri
— Boise Idaho News (@boisenews) March 28, 2013

T.J. Thomson: Promoting healthy, active lifestyles for Boise's children is my "No. 1 priority"

T.J. Thomson

The health of Boise's residents is effectively being addressed by the city council, according to the Idaho Statesman.

 
City Councilman T.J. Thomson said promoting healthy, active lifestyles for Boise's children is his "No. 1 priority" in city government. In one recent example, the capacity for a workshop which focused on the problem of childhood obesity, was 25. "The number of participants exceeded capacity by seven," the Statesman reported. "The waiting list was about 70,"

The next two workshops will examine nutrition and physical activity for children in daycare. Demand for those sessions is just as strong as for the first one, said Amy Stahl, a city spokeswoman who co-chairs Boise's Let’s Move! committee.

"There's obviously a need for this kind of outreach, and the childcare providers were hungry for information," Stahl said.



Let’s Move!  is a comprehensive initiative, launched by First Lady Michelle Obama. dedicated to solving the problem of obesity within a generation, so that children born today will grow up healthier and able to pursue their dreams.

Combining comprehensive strategies with common sense, Let’s Move! is about putting children on the path to a healthy future during their earliest months and years: Giving parents helpful information and fostering environments that support healthy choices;  providing healthier foods in our schools; ensuring that every family has access to healthy, affordable food;  and, helping children become more physically active.

Thomson is working on several policy initiatives in the coming months that should have a positive impact in this area. His work could potentially 'move the needle' in the battle against the child obesity epidemic we are facing as a nation.

Boise has enlisted dozens of partners, including schools, health organizations, city departments, private companies and nonprofits. Thomson compared the push to combat obesity to the city's year-old ban on smoking in bars. They're both a matter of shepherding public health, one of the city's core responsibilities, he said.

"Local communities, municipal governments in particular, have to step up and play a major role here if it's not going to happen at the state level, which it's not," Thomson said.

2013 Exchange Club Parade America Now Accepting Applications

Applications for parade entries are being accepted for the 47th Annual Exchange Club

Parade America, which will take place in Nampa on Saturday, May 18, 2013. Thousands of spectators line the parade route every year for this patriotic parade, which is one of the largest in Idaho and includes floats, horses, marching bands, antique cars, and much more.

The theme of this year’s parade is:

“This is My Country.”

Join the fun as a participant by contacting Amy Farnworth at 468-4412 to get an application, parade route map, and a letter explaining the entry rules. Those items are also available online:

What: 47th Annual Exchange Club Parade America

When: Saturday, May 18, 2013

Time: 11 am

Start: Corner of 12th Avenue Road & Lake Lowell, Nampa

Cost: FREE
Contact: Amy Farnworth at 468-4412 or

farnwortha@cityofnampa.us

The parade starts at 11am near Nampa High School. The parade route follows 12th Avenue Road to 7th Street South, to 16th Avenue South, ending near Northwest Nazarene University campus at Holly Street and East Colorado. This parade is free for participants and spectators alike.

The Exchange Club Parade America started in 1966 and is one of the oldest, continuous parades in the area.

Idaho State University Detective/Spy Festival Reflects on Literature and Film

The Idaho Detective/Spy Festival, exploring the detective and spy genre in literature and film, will be held March 17-21 at Idaho State University and the Portneuf Brewery in Pocatello. The festival, organized by the ISU Departments of English and Philosophy and Languages and Literature, will present films, lectures, and a panel discussion offering the Pocatello and ISU communities an enriching opportunity to reflect on the nature of this category of literature and film, especially the representations of violence and crime proper to it.

The festival schedule is as follows:

• Sunday, March 17, at 3, 5 and 7 p.m. – Showing of film "Arbitrage," ISU Pond Student Union Theater, cost is $2 or $1 with a valid Bengal card.

• Monday, March 18, 7 p.m. – Showing of film "The Spy Who Came in from the Cold," Rendezvous Complex, Room 118.

• Tuesday, March 19, 7 p.m. – Keynote presentation "Reading Crime and Restoring Order: The International Importance of Crime Fiction" by John Scaggs, professor of English at Southwestern College, Winfield, Kansas, Rendezvous Complex Suites A, B and C.

• Wednesday, March 20, 7 p.m. – Showing of film "Headhunters," with an introduction by Thomas Sobchack, professor emeritus, Department of Film and Media Arts, University of Utah, Room 118 Rendezvous Complex, free admission. Sobchack will also lead a discussion of the film following its showing.

• Thursday, March 21, 6 p.m. – ISU Humanities Cafe panel discussion "Ambiguities of Crime and Violence in the Detective/Spy Genre," featuring ISU faculty Dan Hunt and Alan Johnson, and Sobchack.

The selections of films emphasize the international scope of the genre. The American work "Arbitrage," was directed by Nicholas Jarecki, fall 2012; Martin Ritt’s English film "The Spy Who Came In From the Cold," was filmed in1963; and the Norwegian "Headhunters," 2011, directed by Morton Tyldum, was based on the novel by popular Norwegian writer Jo Nesbo.

"Arbitrage" and "Headhunters" offer very recent and acclaimed films in the detective and crime genre. Audiences will also have the chance to see the film version of John Le Carré’s classic spy novel, "The Spy Who Came In From the Cold," which exposes the moral cost of spying for one's country, the human price paid by the spies and the people they use.

Keynote speaker John Scaggs, professor of English at Southwestern College, Winfield, Kan., an expert on crime fiction, will lecture on "Reading Crime and Restoring Order: The International Importance of Crime Fiction." His talk, followed by a discussion, will address the ability of the genre to reinvent itself in response to changing social and cultural issues. Scaggs is the author of the acclaimed introduction to the genre, “Crime Fiction” (2005) and a regular contributor to the Mystery Caucus at the Popular Culture Association of America.

The three scholars making up the panel for the Humanities Cafe, include Sobchack, along with Dan Hunt, ISU associate professor in the Department of Languages and Literature, and Alan Johnson, professor in the Department of English and Philosophy, will take up violence, censorship, terrorism and secrecy in the spy/detective genre.

For the panel, Sobchack will look at the violent acts carried out by both sexes in classic film noir. Hunt will analyze the new role of the lone-wolf detective in Latin American fiction by Taibo. Johnson will interpret the spy's secrecy and loneliness as reflections of human behavior—about what we like and don’t like, about what drives some people to the edge.

The following sponsors have generously made these events possible: The Idaho Humanities Council, The Cultural Events Committee of ISU, the ISU Committee on the Study of Violence in Society, and the ISU Cinema Circle.

For more information, contact Pamela Park, Languages and Literature program director/professor, 208-282-3717 or parkpame@isu.edu.