Treasured Valley

The good news is that after sleeping 15 hours last night I kinda feel like I’m on the upswing, so hopefully sooner, rather than later things will get back to normal around here.

Thanks for the emails, DM’s and messages, I appreciate it.

-by Amy Pence-Brown

Garden City is full of sweet little surprises and some spectacular Treasure Valley treasures – The Stagecoach, the Ranch Club, Visual Arts Collective and the Woman of Steel Gallery, to name a few. But it’s the Reuseum, tucked in a small strip of worn-down warehouse spaces near Garden City Tattoo on Chinden Blvd. that has truly stolen my heart.

The Reuseum is a technological surplus outlet/electronic gadget haven for geeks. They accept all sorts of donated mechanical contraptions and offer a workshop, classes, and even host an annual robot competition for the reuse and resurrection of these castoffs. The idea is genius in my book; I’m a firm believer in fueling creativity through recycling. I’m embarrassed to admit, however, that I just visited the place for the first time, after following the Reuseum on Twitter and being their Facebook fan for nearly a year now. It’s been on my to-do list for a while, but dealing with the whole post-layoff depression thing coupled with my new holy-shit-I’m-a-full-time-stay-at-home-mom gig, time got away from me. So, last week we spent a lovely, rainy Saturday afternoon in Garden City and met the darling and helpful owner of the Reuseum, David Gapen. He had posted earlier that morning about some new merchandise that had just come in, including a vintage label maker that I’ve been scouring garage sales for for years. He was kind enough to find it for me and make me a deal that I couldn’t refuse. (And it came with faux wood grain tape. Are. You. Kidding. Me?@!@#! I thought I’d died and gone to heaven with all the other obsessively organized kitsch lovers). Of course I snatched that baby up, and I plan to label everything but the kitchen sink with it. Well, maybe that, too.

My husband, Eric, and the girls accompanied me on the journey. Eric, a chemistry professor, was thrilled to find all sorts of familiar gadgets and gizmos that he’s come to know and love through his laboratory research. The girls thought the shiny silver and gold bolts and latches and adaptors and such were pretty cool things to collect and whined for them all. I was drawn to other quirky oddities, including a large stack of paper shooting range targets. My daughters got a kick out of the revolving dark room door that’s for sale and I laughed out loud at the yellow sticky note that read, “TIME MACHINE RIDES $1.” A sense of humor, an environmental consciousness, a killer inventory, a dedication to technological and scientific creativity, and a really nice guy that runs the place? What more could you ask for? Get there soon.

Amy Pence-Brown wants a robot that can knit and wash dishes…

Now you can map out that weekend bike ride you’ve been wanting to take your family on.

Just go to Google Maps and click on where it says “More…” and check the box that says “Bicycling” and wham, the local bike-friendly routes will be displayed. There are a lot of Boise maps, a few for Meridian and one for Nampa.

Now you can get back to checking those tires and greasing that chain.

Washington fires back at Otter, Idaho’s big business minions, immigration and more candidates…

Media:

• Washington fires back: Bring it on, Otter! Washington Democratic Gov. Chris Gregoire did not like Otter’s overtures to businesses in her state and Oregon, spelled out in an opinion piece Otter sent out Monday. “I’m not an expert on Idaho,” Gregoire said, but as Seattle Times reporter Jim Brunner wrote Tuesday, she was able to rattle off a few observations
• Lawmakers approve more privacy for feed lots. Cattle feed lot operators are hoping lawmakers will restrict public access to manure management reports, comparing their waste handling strategies to trade secrets worthy of protection from competitors.
• Idaho Senate backs Health Care Freedom. Idaho’s Republican-dominated Senate told the federal government to back off, approving a bill in which Idaho promises to sue if Congress passes health-care reforms that require the state’s residents to buy insurance.
• Idaho Legislators Take On Immigration. This week Idaho’s legislature takes on immigration with two separate bills. Both seek to make it more difficult for undocumented immigrants to find work and as Boise State Radio’s Adam Cotterell reports, both would place new requirements on businesses.
• Kevin Richert: Idaho campaigns: Star mayor jumps into GOP legislative primary.
• NewWest Boise: Sage Grouse Misses ESA Listing By A Feather.
• Eye On Boise: Budgets: ‘Goes quickly when it’s bare-bones’.
• Funding cuts halt the increase in spending for substance abuse treatment in Idaho. The budget for substance abuse treatment faces another $866,000 ordered for fiscal 2010 and will carry over to fiscal 2011.
• Election 2010: More Idaho candidates file for office. Candidates must file by March 19. Here are filings from Monday afternoon and Tuesday. A complete list will appear in print March 20.
• Idaho’s universities to lose $32 million next year. The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee agreed on a budget Tuesday that proposes spending roughly $377.7 million on the University of Idaho, Idaho State University, Boise State University and Lewis-Clark State College.
• IPTV will see smaller budget cut. The television station that broadcasts the Idaho Legislature, “Sesame Street” and other shows across the state appears likely to escape budget cuts of the magnitude Gov. Butch Otter demanded when the 2010 session started.
• State OKs Legacy Charter. The state plans to allow another charter school in Nampa, despite objections from the school district.
• To Blog, Trouble is, I still consider myself first and foremost a humorist. That may not seem believable to some people–that I think I’m funny–but it’s true. I break myself up. Sometimes, I make myself laugh so damn hard, I think I’m going to choke.
• Legislature Gears Up. Despite deaths, bike bills still tough sell at statehouse. “In the last year, there were six traffic deaths. Driggs, Twin Falls and Boise all faced incidents of motor vehicle and cyclist death incidents.

Blogs:

• The Johnson Post: Teddy…a Socialist?
• The Political Game: Ruchti Not Seeking Re-election.
• Notes From The Floor: Freeing Us From Healthcare.
• 43rd State Blues: Who’s running for Dist. 19 Senate?
• Boise Guardian: Boise Joins Growthophobe Movement, GUARDIAN Offers “Back Story”.
• Idaho Conservative Blogger: Most ICB Readers Feel Positive About The Idaho 1st CD Race.
• Idaho Reporter: AARP condemns Idaho Health Freedom Act passage.
• Idaho Freedom Foundation: Ron Paul Tickets.
• morialekafa: Suckered Again?

Boise buys Hammer Flat, Silsby likely to be released, Eagle mayor and shaping Nampa’s future…

• Boise Aquires Hammer Flat. The Boise City Council agreed today to use $4.1 million in Foothills Levy funds to purchase the 701-acre Hammer Flat parcel on critical wildlife habitat on the outskirts of Boise. Since 2007, the parcel, which is in Ada County, has been slated for a 1,350 unit planned community called The Cliffs. Boise’s purchase of the property protects it from development.
• Boise Buys Hammer Flat. The City of Boise today announced the purchase of Hammer Flat.
• Boise family and Foothills levy turn 700-acre Hammer Flat into wildlife preserve. The city’s $4.1 million deal to secure Hammer Flat means The Cliffs, a proposed 707-acre development, will become a permanent winter home for pronghorn, elk and one of the largest mule deer herds in the state.
• Legal expert: Silsby likely to be released. With the release of Charisa Coulter on Monday, only Laura Silsby remains in Haitian custody. The Statesman contacted an expert in the Haitian legal system to interpret the recent events.
• Eagle considers making mayor job part time position. Tuesday night the Eagle City Council acknowledged and accepted Mayor Phil Bandy’s resignation. As he gets ready to leave office this week the council is tasked with finding a replacement and deciding whether the post should go back to a part time position.
• Hunter’s Point sales slow. Lots continue to sell slowly at Hunter’s Point golf and residential development in Nampa, but the high-end project has only two or three unoccupied homes.
• Nampans help shape city’s future. A diverse group of about 60 people gathered Tuesday afternoon at the Nampa Civic Center for a brainstorming session that will help city officials craft a new comprehensive plan.
• Questions arise about safety of merge lanes on I-84.

• Get ready for the Special Olympics Idaho State Winter Games. More than 300 athletes will compete in the games, which open at 7 p.m., Friday at Cascade Middle School in Cascade, and continue with competitions all day Saturday at venues in the area, including Brundage and Ponderosa State Park.
• A Slew of New Art Openings. New works up at the Visual Arts Center, Flying M, Thomas Hammer and the Basement Gallery.
• ‘Old Guys’ basketball game raises money for young people. Caldwell Mayor Garret Nancolas and his team of six other “old men” played a vigorous basketball game against Caldwell High School’s varsity boys basketball team on Tuesday.
• North End Organic Nursery. “If it’s mass-produced in China, we’re not going to carry it.” With a flick of a trowel, an unmoving mound of dirt became a writhing pile of earthworms. “We’re selling these guys for $25 a pound or $15 a half pound,” said North End Organic Nursery manager (and former BW owner) Bingo Barnes.
• Nampa settles ex-con dispute. A mutual settlement agreement has been reached between the city of Nampa and New Hope Community Health, a program that provides community-based safe and sober housing, after two years of litigation.
• Vallivue High School students back in school following bomb threat. Caldwell police evacuated Vallivue High School for about two hours Tuesday as a precaution while officers investigated a bomb threat.
• Homebuilder sees sales triple in February. Idaho homebuilder CBH Homes sold more than three times as many homes in February 2010 as it did in February 2009. After two busy weekends with 35 and 34 homes were sold, respectively, this year’s February total hit 134, up from 43 in 2009 and 53 in 2008.
• Freestyle Bogus. Will Boise develop another Speedy? With the 2010 Winter Olympic Games passed, hot dog ski kids and their parents are getting serious about 2014. More than 500 people have fanned “Bring freestyle/freeride skiing back to Bogus Basin” on Facebook.
• Boise State construction management students impress at regional competition. Construction management (CM) students in Boise State University’s College of Engineering received awards in four categories at the recent Associated Schools of Construction Inter-Scholastic Regional Competition and Conference.
• Heath re-trial begins. Jury selection is complete and the trial is set to begin in the re-trial of Shara Heath. She is the Gem County woman charged with taking money while she was employed as a deputy clerk in the Gem County district court clerk’s office.
• Idaho releases new guide for Internet safety. ProtecTeens is being updated after five years to cover new tactics used by online predators to snare teens.

I have it.

…I’ll be back.

Match(dot)wrong, BUGS, Boise Flash Mob, lambs, reserved, bargain bin and get milk…

• Hipmombrarian: Match(dot)wrong. About a month ago I made an impulsive decision due to the fact that I had consumed 1 1/2 too many glasses of wine. I decided in my emotional, slightly lonely state that I should sign up for match.com. I’ve since decided that these are the conditions that 89.9% of new member join under.

• Boise Daily Photo: Urban Gardening School.
• ChowderBlog: Gettin’ Jiggy With It at Boise City Hall, Flash Mob Style!
• Johanna Harness: First Lambs.
• Korovieva: It came from my cell phone.
• The Dead Acorn: Odds ‘N’ Ends.
• Wendie Gone Feral: This space is reserved.
• AnchorMommy: Happy Birthday Kellan! My big boy is three.
• Industrial Revelations: Sunday Sunset…
• Boise Record Exchange: The Bodacious RX Bargain Bin: Clearance clothing sale!
• boiSee: Don’t worry Darling.
• DOWNBOI: Morrison Knudsen Nature Center.
• Idaho Gardener: Gardening 365 – Day 69.
• Inspired Designer: Design Studio | Tracey Overbeck Stead.
• ••• Blogtronic •••: Commission Piece.
• Warlocks Bicycle Club: Get Milk.
• Simply Grove: On a non design related note…
• SEO Boise: Boise SEO Ranking Update – 2nd Edition.
• Pretty Chaos: The Walls Within.
• O Should Know: O, Spring Me!
• NICK5HOE: Phonebook? What’s that?
• My Adventures in History: Book Review: The Complete Idiot’s Guide to the American Revolution.
• Musings at Minkiewicz: I’m Free!
• Melissa’s Wild Parma Adventure: The Art of the Table.
• Life is a Sinecure: The Non-Birthday Birthday?
• Kuna 360º: Let’s put our money to work.
• Justin Foster Unfiltered: Happy 75th to America’s first Punk Rocker.
• Jules Zunich: Social Media & PR in Regulated Industries.
• Avimor Birding Blog: eBird Maps – Lazuli Bunting.
• Boise Style: Leg Looks . . .

Filing day was yesterday, E-Verify is dead, early graduation and more power for HOAs…

Media:

• Idaho gov. gets fresh with Oregon’s businesses. Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter is getting fresh with Oregon businesses in what the Republican chief executive is calling a “love letter to Idaho’s neighbors.”
• Lawmakers vote down immigration proposal. Lawmakers voted down a bill Monday that would have required employers to screen workers using a federal background check system amid concerns it would add another burden to business owners.
• State Affairs Unceremoniously Kills E-Verify Bill. Senate State Affairs voted 7-2 to kill Senate Bill 1303, after a motion to send it to the floor of the Senate to address Sen. Mike Jorgenson’s proposed amendments failed. That means it stays in committee and Chairman Curt McKenzie told citydesk that it will not receive another marathon hearing.
• Kevin Richert: Otter: Idaho is open to business, including Oregon businesses.
• Ridenbaugh Press: ID: And they’re off.
• Idaho Candidate Filing Commences. The filing period for the May primary has opened, with candidates for all state offices and legislative seats up for reelection. The Secretary of State’s Office posted filings as of noon, and there are quite a few early birds that signed up today.
• Who’s filed to run in Idaho? Here are the names of U.S. and State candidates that have officially filed to appear on the May 25, 2010, primary ballot.
• Pasley-Stuart files for LeFavour’s seat. State Rep. Anne Pasley-Stuart, an eight-year lawmaker, has filed for the state Senate seat in the North End’s District 19, a move that caught incumbent Sen. Nicole LeFavour, a fellow Democrat, off guard.
• Eye On Boise: More candidate filing news…
• Times-News editorial: Skip on ahead: Early graduation bill makes sense. For years, public schools have been trying to entice high school students to stay. Soon, there may be a financial incentive to leave. The state Senate will vote on House-passed legislation this week that would award scholarships to high school students who enroll in college early. Eight other states are participating in a program that would permit high school sophomores to pass a series of tests and graduate early.
• Sayler retires as Idaho filing period starts. The filing period for 2010 Idaho candidates for elected office opened Monday and already there are some changes pending in the state’s political landscape.
• Lawmaker’s plan would put school spending online. A state lawmaker’s plan to make public education spending more transparent would require Idaho school districts to upload their checkbooks online.
• Idaho Legislature passes bill that helps homeowners associations get leeway on liens. The Legislature has passed a bill making it easier for homeowner or condominium associations to file and record liens against property owners. The bill now awaits Gov. Butch Otter’s signature.
• Bilbao announces re-election bid. Rep. Carlos Bilbao has announced that he will seek re-election to his District 11 seat in the Idaho House of Representatives.

Blogs:

• Notes From The Floor: Going Home.
• Idaho Reporter: Senate panel endorses prison legislation.
• Idaho Freedom Foundation: Taxpayers foot $30K bill for marketing urban renewal legislation.
• morialekafa: Genocides.