Ex-cons in the neighborhood? Not if we can help it

Neighbors fear ex-con home

Jon Meyermailto:Meyerjmeyer@idahopress.com

Wednesday, October 17th, 2007

NAMPA— A proposed transitional home for former inmates and released sex offenders has come under scrutiny from neighboring home owners near the proposed site just outside of the Nampa city limits.

Idaho Department of Correction officials confirmed Wednesday that Dominic Gallegos has begun communications to get approval to receive former inmate referrals to a facility that he plans to open in a five-bedroom house on South Lancaster Drive.

"I know that the department has received inquiries and communications from Mr. Gallegos," IDOC spokesman Jeff Ray said. "He talked about a transitional home for men (that) would have 13 beds, as we understand it, and would accept sex offenders."

Ray explained that facilities such as the one Gallegos has brought to the department’s attention usually operate by getting on a Department of Corrections list to have individuals referred to them. The only thing that has stopped Gallegos from getting on this list so far, Ray said, has been the outcry from the community where he intends to place the home — a small dead-end road off Roosevelt Avenue, less than a half-mile from Franklin D. Roosevelt Elementary School.

"I don't like it one bit," said April Horn, a mother of four who lives across the street from the proposed home on Lancaster. "It's scary having something like that there when you have kids. There's at least five kids in this neighborhood... (We) don't need felons, rapists, child molesters living around our kids. Who wants to live around that?"

Multiple phone calls to Gallegos were not returned.

The five-bedroom residence is a single-family home, just like all of the others on the short street. The owner, Mike Hill of Clear Creek Homes LLC, acknowledged that he was aware of Gallegos' intentions when he leased the house to him but was willing to enter into the agreement because Gallegos was not doing anything illegal.

"I have properties that I have to rent out to people. If they were planning anything illegal or unlawful, that would be a problem on my property, but I wasn't aware of anything...,” Hill said. “I know it's something some people might not want in their neighborhood.”

Though the home could place several previous offenders in close proximity to a school, Hill maintained that the only problem that he sees is the possible zoning conflicts that may arise if Gallegos were to try to accommodate the number of people he proposed to corrections officials.

"I'm aware there may be a zoning problem; they're trying to see if it's legal and allowable," Hill said.

Although the home may be too close to Roosevelt Elementary for some residents’ comfort, Idaho law states that sex offenders are only in violation of the law if they “knowingly loiter” or “reside” within 500 feet of a school building or grounds. The school is farther away.

West Roosevelt Park, which features a playground and skate park frequented by younger children, is also within a half-mile radius of the home.

However, even though the home’s location may not be a legal violation, the size of the facility may be a problem with county officials.Leon Jensen, director of Canyon County Development Services, said single-family dwellings are capped at a size of eight individuals or less, according to Idaho Code. There is no restriction whether the individuals must be related, according to the code, but single-family dwellings above eight people in size are not provided for at all, Jensen added.

David Lancaster has lived at his house in the subdivision for more than 40 years. His father built most of the houses on the street. Now, with the possibility of a transition home coming within 500 feet of his front door, Lancaster found himself questioning whether he can feel safe anymore.

"Is it wrong to say I feel scared to leave my wife alone at night? I'm scared," Lancaster said. "My grandchild comes over. I don't think they can come over at night anymore, (I) won't let them."

Other than the fear that Lancaster feels for himself and those who live around the proposed site, he said he also worries how the proposed facility might affect the attractiveness of the home market in the area.

"What will my house be worth? ... I looked forward to spending more years here," Lancaster said.

Neighborhood meeting: Concerned neighbors around the site have tentatively scheduled a meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 23, with Idaho Department of Corrections officials. Still subject to change, the meeting is slated to take place at Franklin D. Roosevelt Elementary.

Colin Powell back in Idaho

Colin Powell arrives in Nampa en route to Otter's Star ranch

Jon Meyerjmeyer@idahopress.com

Tuesday, October 16th, 2007

NAMPA— Colin Powell landed at the Nampa Airport Monday afternoon to meet briefly with a delegation including Gov. Butch Otter, first lady Lori Otter and members of the Korean trade sector as the first Korea-Pacific U.S. Joint Economic Conference to be held in Idaho kicks off.

The former secretary of state's visit was short-lived as he was only expected to spend several hours in the Treasure Valley and was to fly into Seoul, Korea today. He arrived in Nampa under an invitation by his friend Jin Roy Ryu, Chairman and CEO of the Poongsan Corporation — a Korean nonferrous metal conglomerate — and was expected to give a short speech to the members of the conference before a meal at Otter's Star ranch.

Powell chose not to meet with media before leaving the airport.

"With all the warmth Colin Powell has felt from Korea, we're glad to have him here," Otter said in a short interview before Powell arrived. "General Powell is the American dream, being born in the Bronx in not exactly the best of conditions ... working his way through four administrations ... we have respect for him."

Otter expressed his hopes for the conference to increase the relations between Idaho and Korea, already the state's fifth largest international trade partner. "It's great, hopefully the next couple days will make it even better," he said.

The fifth annual trade conference comes in close proximity to the governor's planned 11-day trade mission to China, slated to begin Oct. 27. The trade between China and Idaho is already a multi-billion dollar industry that Otter "hopes to increase substantially.""

We're having a very international month. The governor is very pro-trade and looks forward to these types of events," said Bibiana Nertney, communications director for the Idaho Department of Commerce, which will also be represented at the conference.

Hee-Beom Lee, chairman and CEO of the Korea International Trade Association, said that he looked forward to the opportunities that this year's conference would present for the two countries to expand beyond the agricultural business they share and build on their relations in the technology and energy industries."I think this conference will grow our relationship," Lee said. "Idaho is transforming from potato chip to computer chip and we hope to grow the relationship in biotechnology, renewable energy (and) agriculture."

In addition to the chance for Idaho to bring new and diverse technologies to Korea, Powell's associate Jin Roy Ryu commented on the possibilities to decrease the price of existing products in Korea that are much cheaper to import from the U.S.

Ski patrollers no 'dummies'

Ski patrollers receive training

Jon Meyermailto:Meyerjmeyer@idahopress.com

Monday, October 1st, 2007

MERIDIAN— They may not be human, but after seeing the training simulation dummies that Bogus Basin ski patrollers worked with Sunday in Meridian speak, bleed, vomit and cough, many people might be hard-pressed to tell the difference.

Although the patrollers’ annual recertification didn’t involve all of the ultra-realistic functions that the dummies, called High Fidelity Human Patient Simulators, are capable of, the opportunity to work with the $40,000 trainers, on loan from Idaho State University’s campus Boise, gave them a new perspective on their jobs.

“It presents them with a physiologically realistic patient and lets them work through things you can’t do with a healthy volunteer,” Joe Crutcher, a trainer during the simulation and the director of clinical and critical care education for ISU, said. “It shows them these unique situations in a safe environment where they can make mistakes and learn from them.”

The patient simulators were only one part of the annual Outdoor Emergency Care recertification modules, which provides patrollers the opportunity to brush up on procedures that may have become hazy during the off-season.

With the ability to exhibit pulses, blood pressure, respiration rates and heart and bowel sounds, the dummies let the participants practice with equipment that might not be able to be used on a healthy subject, David Pederson, an assistant professor at ISU and lab director for the human patient simulation laboratories, said.

“Some of them may not have touched the equipment since last year and gotten a little rusty,” Pederson, who also assisted in the presentation, said. “This way they’re able to brush up again and ask questions without the urgency of an emergency situation.”

More than 120 of the resort’s 203 patrollers participated in the training Sunday. Others attended a similar session held two weeks ago. The events are similar to paramedic training, the patrol’s first aid chair Scott Putnam said, differing only in the fact that the patrollers’ victim treatment takes place in the woods.

“We have to be able to carry everything we need and, like most first responders, package them up and stabilize them to get them to someone that can help them further,” Putnam said.

The sessions have also provided a forum for the patrollers to polish skills that may come in handy during the Special Olympic events scheduled to take place at Bogus and other area resorts over the next two years.

The Special Olympic Invitational Games are coming to the area in 2008, with about 8 different countries attending; in 2009 the Special Olympic World Games will come to Idaho, bringing as many up to 12,000 additional competitors, coaches, supporters and spectators to local resorts, said Charles Butrick, the Special Olympic World Game coordinator for the Bogus Basin ski patrol.

“Because of the diversity, we wanted to spend the next couple years focusing on the special challenges that will come with these events,” Butrick said.

Parading for a cause

Seniors parade for Meals-on-Wheels

Jon Meyerjmeyer@idahopress.com

Saturday, September 29th, 2007

HOMEDALE — Commuters between Wilder and Homedale were treated to an eye-catching spectacle Saturday morning as a wheelchair-pushing man sporting a toga and flowing white beard was joined by a parade of livestock,

Marines, classic cars and a police escort in a five-mile trek for charity.Bob Hulse, 67, a disabled veteran and the Karcher Mall Santa Claus of the past two decades, was joined in his endeavor for the Meals-on-Wheels program by numerous spectators and supporters as he pushed fellow veteran Jim Duncan, 84, in his wheelchair from Mitchell’s Wilder Market to the Homedale Senior Center.

How to help: Anyone interested in making further donations to the Meals on Wheels program at the Homedale Senior Center can mail them to PO Box 848, Homedale, ID 83628.

The fundraiser started as a friendly stunt organized through some harmless banter one day at the senior center, Hulse said.“Well I just opened my mouth and said if someone puts $100 on the table for Meals on Wheels I’ll push Jim from Wilder Market to Homedale. Sure enough someone had $100,” Hulse said. “Then I opened it again and said for $25 more I’d do it in a dress; well they had it but some of the seniors thought the dress was a little much so I decided on a toga and red longhandle underwear.”

Hulse added that soon it had turned into a growing parade with locals pledging to join in, along with Ms. Idaho Senior America 2006 Jane Thiel and an ever expanding flow of donations. There was a Marine in full dress uniform for the Toys for Tots program, walking beside Hulse and Duncan the entire way.

“We did it a lot faster than I thought, four-and-a-half miles an hour, and we raised a little over $700 already with more coming in,” Hulse said. “There’s talk about making it an annual thing.”

That money will go a long way to benefit the Meals-on-Wheels program, which costs, on average, $3 per tray, said Homedale Senior Center coordinator Shirley McAbee.“Some of the people in Meals-on-Wheels can’t afford to pay; this will help pay for gas and keep the orders up,” McAbee said.

When Hulse walked into the senior center around 11 a.m. he asked McAbee if she had thought he would make it.

“I told him I thought he was stubborn enough that he’d do it if he set his mind to it, McAbee said with a laugh. “He let me know that next time he opened his big mouth to tell him to keep it shut,” she added jokingly.

Scouts fight litter

Scout combats litterbugging
Jon Meyerjmeyer@idahopress.com
Saturday, September 29th, 2007
MARSING— In the foothills south of Marsing, miles from anything resembling a major road and in an effort many will never be able to see to appreciate, 27 volunteers of all ages came together Saturday to help a friend reach a goal. They also came to set an example and affect change regarding a growing and disturbing trend.

It was the joint effort of a young Scout, Landon Watts, 15, beginning his Eagle Scout project, and local environmental groups that drew parents, young children and teens to a deserted field littered with rusty cans, broken bottles and the occasional rotted barrel.

“We’re after illegal dumping, litter and irresponsible off-road use; it’s really a big problem,” Fred Christensen, one of the corroborators behind Operation TRASH, said. “TRASH is for Teach Responsibility And Save our Heritage. Since last December our major emphasis has been on education and organizing cleanups.”

Operation TRASH, a local effort to clean up parts of the state, teamed with the Bureau of Land Management to help organize the clean-up effort.

It was all a part of Clean-up America, a national campaign put forth by the Department of the Interior to stop this kind of abusive behavior around the country, M.J. Byrne, spokesperson for Boise district of the BLM, said.“Lots of areas hold one big area clean-up weekend for the campaign, but we decided to keep it going year-round. This is our second one,” Byrne said. “Our goal is to put the message in people’s heads that there’s lots of trash out there.”

However, even with the joint efforts of Operation TRASH and the BLM, Saturday’s clean-up wouldn’t have become a reality without the efforts of Landon Watts. A Scout since age 11 from Star, Watts’ motivation to achieve the organization’s highest rank possible brought many of the people out to pick up rusty and decrepit waste on their weekend.Watts recruited the more than two-dozen volunteers from his local church and Scouting group to help him work towards a good cause and contribute to the 80 hours of service required for his Eagle Scout project.

“The project is focused in leadership. That’s why you become an Eagle Scout,” Watts said. “I knew I wanted to do something with the outdoors, and the BSA (Boy Scouts of America) led me to the BLM. It feels good, positive to do something.”

Watts hasn’t yet decided if he’ll take part in any future clean-ups.Operation TRASH, however, plans to educate even more young people around Idaho with an $11,000 grant from the BLM that they will use to distribute educational material about littering and dumping to schools around the state, Christensen said.

“We want to get the message out that it’s not cool to dump on your local lands, cause that’s what they are — your local lands,” Byrne said of the educational effort.

Tailgating: The new way!

Fans take tailgating to next level on sunny fall afternoon

Jon Meyer jmeyer@idahopress.com

Updated 36 minutes ago

BOISE — As the players don their pads, cleats and uniforms, another kind of preparation is going on in the parking lot of Bronco Stadium before each Boise State University home game. Hours before kickoff, grills are lit, face paint is applied and the sea of orange and blue begins to grow.

Tailgating has become a sport of its own for many of the alumni, students and supporters who flood the pavement, surrounding parks and sidewalks in truck beds, campers and lawn chairs to get pumped up for the Broncos to take the field. And the fact that it’s a Sunday makes no difference.

Two hours before the game begins, it becomes impossible to park within three blocks of the stadium — and anyone brave enough to tread the sidewalks and breezeways through campus wearing anything but blue and orange is sure to draw a judgmental eye.In the core of the celebration, the stadium parking lot, hot dogs and hamburgers, not to mention chicken in many forms, has become so commonplace that most fans have developed new ways to enjoy their pre-game festivities.

Jason Ames and the growing group surrounding his vehicle were enjoying the environment cast by a television hooked to a portable satellite dish in the back of a pickup. In the other endless rows of tailgaters, people had even larger plasma sets and surround-sound speakers, completing a home theater-esque experience.“We got a pretty good setup, try to make it to most of them,” Ames said, waiting to cheer the Broncos to a victory over New Mexico State. “I expect they’ll run the table until they get to Hawaii, that’ll be a tough game.”

Many of the alumni make it out to every game at home and follow the team for big games on the road when it is possible, all in the hope of an elusive big bowl game in the team’s future.

“I think they can win it out. ... We’re looking for the real bowl game,” BSU alumnus Jerry Hitesman said. “We’ve been out here for every single game and it’s been excellent.”

The optimism ran high for the five-time defending Western Athletic Conference Champions going into the New Mexico game. A loss this season coming in a non-league game to the University of Washington Huskies has left some Broncos fans bitter, but still full of hope.

“It’s better that they lost to someone who was doing well,” alumnus Tracy Neptune said with a flurry of blue and orange dreadlocks swinging from her head, whipping her husband, Chad Neptune, in the face. “It’s been an awesome season so far, we’re loving it, we always do.”

As the time for the first drive inched closer, the party of fans didn’t begin to disperse, but relocated into the long line to enter Bronco Stadium and make their way to their seats. The sea of blue and orange temporarily became a river, pouring toward the cherished blue turf.

Strongmen and women.

Weightlifters gather at event to remember fallen competitor

Jon Meyerjmeyer@idahopress.com

Saturday, October 6th, 2007

NAMPA — Local men and women lifted hearts and spirits — not to mention a whole lot of iron — during what could have become a somber Saturday afternoon during a tribute competition in memory of fallen Northwest Strongman legend Jesse Marunde.

Emotions ran high, almost equaling the energy in the air. Weight plates clanged together. Cars were hoisted off the ground. Money rolled in. It was a fitting fundraiser for the world-class level Strongman, who died suddenly in July from complications related to a defective heart valve.

“He’d really have liked this,” Marunde’s wife, Callie Marunde, said while holding the pairs’ daughter Jessica Joy, now almost four moths old. “He loved these things, this was our life.”

Callie Marunde is a competitor on par with her husband, a two-time national lightweight women’s champion and national record-holder in Strongman events. Before his death, Jesse was the youngest American to ever qualify for the World’s Strongest Man contest, competing in 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2005 in the nationally-televised event.

“Jesse was an amazing guy. Lots of the people in the valley were his friends and he trained with a lot of the guys here,” Jay Hagadorn, owner of Nampa’s Genesis Fitness and the promoter of the event, said. “We’d love to send his wife and family home with a good blessing.”

Jesse had originally planned to organize the North American Strongman Society sanctioned event with Hagadorn as the first in the Nampa area. When he died from a genetic heart defect, the promotion developed a second purpose and evolved into something more, a fundraiser for the family he left behind.Amateur and professional Strongman competitors alike turned out from all over the country to compete in the men’s heavyweight and lightweight, women’s open and teen divisions at the Nampa event.

Several of Marunde’s training partners came all the way from the Sequim and Port Angeles area of western Washington where he hailed from to show their support and contribute to helping the family.In addition to the entry fees raised by the competitors, the eye-catching events such as the car squat, in which competitors lifted the rear end of a KIA Rio — and sometimes chose to add even more weight — drew many into the crowd to participate in the raffle and silent auction as well.

All of the proceeds went to benefit the Marunde family.“He’d think all of this was great; (he) told us to all go out and smash it out,” Marshall White, one of Marunde’s friends and former partners said after deadlifting a whopping 900 pounds 18 inches off a stand. “The dedication to him brought a lot of us out.”

Several world records were nearly broken in the Genesis parking lot Saturday as weight belts strained during the three other events: the maximum atlas stone lift, the maximum 12-inch overhead log press and the farmer’s walk for maximum distance.

The weights involved in the car squat and farmer’s walk — in which lifters carry an I-beam loaded with weights in each hand as far as they can before letting them drop — were so extreme that the apparatus had to be designed by Nampa’s Double R Trailer company. It took three to four people to lift the squat bar back to the starting position after each competitor was finished.

In the end though, for the crowd, Saturday’s event wasn’t just about the personal records or the national qualifying, it was about remembering a fellow competitor who had touched many lives.

“Jesse was a super nice guy. He always came to the competitions to root us on,” said Amy Wattles, 34, a competitor of Callie Marunde’s in the women’s open class. “I can’t imagine a better day.”

Wine Harvest

Caldwell event celebrates harvest

Jon Meyermailto:Meyerjmeyer@idahopress.com

Saturday, October 6th, 2007

CALDWELL — The prime harvest season for Treasure Valley vintners has arrived and with it came the annual sharing of food and drink, gifts, music and fun at Albertson College of Idaho.

Booths representing the many local wineries, distilleries and shops that cater to the wine season filled the Morrison Quadrangle for the seventh year of Taste of the Harvest.

Music wafted from the stage for the better part of the day as residents from all over the valley came to sample, indulge and make a few purchases on the brisk early-autumn afternoon.

“It just gets better every year, the air is crisp ... it’s a great way to celebrate the beginning of fall,” Lisa Derry, a professor in Albertson’s music department, said. The diversity of the people and the music is great. It’s so nice to see the college celebrate its relationship with the community; things weren’t always this way.”

A few first-time visitors couldn’t leave without taking a few souvenirs home with them. Thea Cossairt of Caldwell spent more than three hours at the festival meeting friends and enjoying the variety of live music, not to mention diverse flavors available at the tasting booths.

“It’s great to see the different wineries in the area and sample their wares,” Cossairt said. “I ended up buying a few things too.”

While allowing area communities to come together during the peak grape-harvest season to see what the wineries have to offer, the Taste of the Harvest presented an opportunity for Albertson College students to socialize with their teachers and administrators outside of the classroom.“I love to see the teachers come out; the atmosphere and the feeling of the whole thing too,” Albertson senior Madeline Martello said. “It brings all of the teachers and students out. You get a lot of alumni, too; I come every year.”

Weather

First day of season ushers in dramatic weather

Jon Meyerjmeyer@idahopress.com

Monday, September 24th, 2007

The first day of fall kicked off the season with a bang as a storm system dumped heavy rain across the region and brought chilly overnight temperatures.Rain fell in the valley much of the early morning hours Sunday, with Caldwell’s official station recording more than an inch of rainfall as of 6 a.m. Temperatures were expected to dip near 40 overnight, and tonight could be even cooler with lows in the upper 30s. Patchy frost is possible.

The Owyhee and Boise mountains also received heavy rain, prompting the National Weather Service to issue flood advisories. However, there were no reports of damage.

TREASURE VALLEY — Heavy rainfall prompted a warning for Boise County early Sunday morning because of fears that fire-scarred mountainsides could be susceptible to flash flooding and mudslides.The decision by the National Weather Service to enact the warning at 2:08 a.m. was prompted by the concern that storms in areas affected by recent wildfires would make flooding a real possibility.“The burned surfaces are more water repellent (rather) than soaking it up,” Joel Tannenholz, a meteorologist for the Weather Service in Boise, said. “We were worried that the ground was unstable, but there have been no reports of debris flow or flooding yet.”

Tannenholz said the heaviest levels of rain that were concentrated further to the south than expected. The system moved east of the area later Sunday morning and the warning was withdrawn at 4:15 a.m., he said.

Even though Deadwood Summit, which rises to 6,658 feet near one of the burn areas, received 1.3 inches of rain in 24 hours, it was spared from flash flooding. Yellow Pine, in Valley County, also near several wildfire areas, saw the highest rainfall figures, reporting about 2 inches in 24 hours.

A hazardous weather outlook remained in place along with a flash flood watch until noon Sunday. But forecasters say no additional hazardous weather is predicted for the rest of the week.

Marching Bands

Marching toward victory

Jon Meyer
jmeyer@idahopress.com

Sunday, October 14th, 2007
Nampa High School musicians marched toward victory as the overall winner of the Treasure Valley Festival of Bands Saturday, taking home the big trophy as well as leaving as 5A large band champions.

The festival was as big as ever even though a few annual competitors were not present. Hundreds of parents, fans and spectators showed up for the all-day event at Vallivue High School, concluded by a large exhibition display by the hosting Vallivue band.

While Nampa took sweepstakes honors, Caldwell placed second in the 5A large category. Borah High School took home the top 5A small band honors against three fiercely competing teams.

In the largest field, Fruitland beat out four competitors to take the 4A category. Weiser High School received the 3A title, besting two competitors.

CALDWELL— For years the Treasure Valley Festival of Bands has been a staple in local marching competition, drawing groups large and small that might not otherwise get to compete against each another.

The event, which annually draws anywhere from 12 to 18 bands and hundreds of spectators, started as a small Snake River Valley Conference competition, but changed form as teams left that conference over time, Vallivue band director Curt Griffiths said. Now it functions as a warm-up for some bands for the Idaho District III Marching Band competition.

This year’s District III contest will be Saturday at Bronco

Stadium.

“It really gives opportunities,” he said. “Even to bands that don’t get the chance to go to the District III (contest).”

Fourteen bands came to Vallivue to compete this year, slightly down from what many spectators have come to know because of competitions elsewhere that drew some teams away. That fact didn’t detract what Griffiths called “a perfect day for a marching band competition.”

Among local bands placing at the competition, Nampa and Caldwell took first and second overall, respectively, in the 5A large band competition. Boise High School placed third in 5A small band marching and Meridian High School came in fourth. Fruitland, Skyview and Kuna high schools went one, two and three in the 4A rankings.

In the auxiliary competition, Nampa took first and Caldwell second in 5A large. Meridian took first in 5A small and Boise took home fourth. In 4A Kuna won, followed by Fruitland and Middleton, with Skyview in fourth.

In the percussion competition, Nampa and Caldwell placed first and second respectively in their division. Meridian took second behind Capital in 5A small. Skyview won in 4A, with Fruitland coming in second.

At the end of the competition, Vallivue High School, which as the hosting team does not compete for honors, put on an exhibition performance for the crowd, showing the pride that can come with being part of a marching band.

The Blog

Hello everyone,

Well I decided it may be a good idea to start posting all of my articles on a blog so that everyone can see them and save me the money of buying 20 copies of every week's newspaper.

I've been writing a lot lately, some of it good, some bad, but I will only post the truly good and groundbreaking articles here. I will admit they've been letting me get in on some of the real controversial stories lately, so...

Keep checking back, things may get juicy. You never know at the second biggest newspaper in the enigma that is Idaho.

Jon