80-year-old mayor takes seat in Homedale

By Jon Meyer
jmeyer@idahopress.com

HOMEDALE— When Harold S. Wilson takes the Homedale mayoral seat in January, he will also have another cause for celebration: His 81st birthday is the same month.

Wilson is a World War II veteran who has raised nine children in the Homedale area. He has no plans to seek a second term because “85 is just too old,” he said. With 44 years of his life spent in Homedale, Wilson has been a part of the community longer than one of his mayoral opponents, 37-year-old Charles Garrison, has been alive.

“If I can’t get it done in four years, I won’t run again ... I have high hopes, though,” Wilson said.

Those high hopes don’t mean huge changes to the area. Wilson’s focus will be in bringing the people who serve the community together and cleaning up the city.

“I don’t want too many changes, just clean up what we have (and) support the businesses that are there. I’m not against new business, but we shouldn’t give away land to them,” Wilson said.

“What we need is people. Our school system needs people. We need families moving here.”

Wilson’s campaigntobecome mayor began with his friends around Homedale expressing a need for change.

The incumbent, Paul Fink, is a 20-year Homedale mayor, serving from 1984-2000 and then again from 2004 until the most current election. Fink was not available for comment Monday.

“People in Homedale wanted change”, Wilson said. “A lot of my friends asked me to do it, couldn’t find a young guy so they had to pick on an old one,” Wilson said. Even one of Harold’s grandchildren was approached with the idea of running, but turned it down.

Wilson’s wife, Mary, said that after 44 years in Homedale, it was “time to give back to them ... It’s our home.”

Throughout the couple’s time in Homedale, Harold has been very active in the community. He is a veteran of the school board, volunteer fire department, chamber of commerce, Kiwanis International and Toastmasters International. Part of his reason for running for mayor was to improve the area for his 23 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren.

To help the town improve for the next four years, Wilson plans to bring a renewed sense of continuity to the city government. He said he’d even like to work hand-in-hand with his opponents Fink and Garrison for the betterment of the area.

“I want to work together with the (city) council, together with the Chamber of Commerce, and work together with Planning and Zoning,” he said. “ We have to pull the community together. A lot of the farmers have already offered to help.”

Mary said that the farming community is an essential part of the “very rural” town, but that people need to be drawn to the urban center as well. “They need to see this as a place to shop. We need to make the town seem more attractive,” she said.

“It’s going to take a lot of cooperation, a lot of help,” Harold added.

Some sacrifice will be involved as well. The couple joked that they’ve already lost some of their 100-year-old friends because they don’t want to associate with “politicians.”

Travel options run out for Hawaii bowl

By Jon Meyer
jmeyer@idahopress.com

TREASURE VALLEY — Local travel providers saw a rise in bookings to Hawaii, despite the peak season, after the Broncos announced Sunday their Dec. 23 face-off with East Carolina in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl.

Kevin Loveless, president of Boise’s Global Travel — which refers to itself as the official travel partner of the Broncos— said they’d been booking custom itineraries for people all day Monday. Average airline prices were hovering around $900 round-trip, with mid-range hotel accommodations lingering around $200 to $300 a night in the Waikiki area, he said.

“I don’t think there’s any unique challenge besides it’s Hawaii at Christmas. That’s always a challenge ... Peak season just means everything’s at its most expensive,” Loveless said. “There’s not a lot of group space left. We’ve been getting people there at different routes and even staying different periods of time.”

Loveless said for large groups of people, chartering planes was an option, although expensive.

Officials at Boise’s Harmon Travel agreed. They said it was so unlikely that clients could find commercial flights for the Christmas and bowl season that they had arranged for two charter packages specifically for the game— with about 300 available seats total.

Harmon Travel’s marketing director, Tammy Selee, said packages include a two-night option for $1,995 per person that includes airfare, hotel accommodations and transportation to and from the airport and to and from Aloha Stadium. A three-night package that featured the same amenities was running $2,295 a person.

The first flight leaves on Dec. 21, and the second on Dec. 22. Both options will get fans back home in time for Christmas, with return flights on Dec. 24 — but tickets are going fast.

Week of events

Selee said that tickets around game day, on Dec. 20 and 21, were nearing impossible to get due to full planes on the major airlines serving Hawaii. However, the festivities leading up to the game begin Dec. 17, with rallies, team practices, luaus and dinners running every day and night until kickoff. If people choose to move their trip a little earlier, Loveless said some commercial flights might still be available— though prices were still high.

“Airline space is there, just with different routes and different schedules,” Loveless said.

He also added that staying in Hawaii until after Christmas made prices and scheduling easier due to the annual rush. He advised anyone traveling during the holidays to arrive at least halfan-hour earlier than usual to the airport.

Online rates:

For flights to Honolulu, Hawaii, beginning on Dec. 17, Expedia.com listed United, ATA, Alaska, Northwest and Hawaiian Airlines to still have various itineraries available Sunday. US Airways was also still booking seats. Rates for flights returning both Christmas Eve and the day after the holiday were in the $600-$800 range for planes leaving Dec. 17-19. Rates for flights leaving Dec. 20 and 22 jumped to around $2,000. Flights leaving Dec. 21 were completely sold out.

Sponsor hotels:
Several Hawaii Sheraton hotels are serving as Host Hotels for the bowl and serving as headquarters for the teams, media and alumni. A list of them was obtained from the bowl’s informational Web site, where you can also find other information and buy tickets, at http:// www.sheratonhawaiibowl.com/.
Sheraton Waikiki (Conference USA)
Westin Moana Surfrider (Western Athletic Conference)
Sheraton Royal Hawaiian (ESPN, VIP)
Sheraton Princess Kaiulani (Bands, Cheerleaders and Alumni)
Sheraton Kauai Resort
Sheraton Maui in Kaanapali

Middleton family gets makeover

By Jon Meyer jmeyer@idahopress.com


MIDDLETON— It took only 106 hours to build the Stockdale family’s “Extreme Makeover” home in Middleton. But it created four months of anticipation.

Sunday, viewers got a chance to see the inside of the farmhouse-style residence built by hundreds of volunteers last summer as the ABC show was broadcast nationwide.

As the secrecy ended, the family spent the entire day at unveiling functions, including a behind-the-scenes sneak peek at a special documentary film in the morning with contractors and people who pitched in to help. It culminated with the episode in which host Ty Pennington showed Ryan and Karia Stockdale and their four children the many special features of the home.

“You’re like excited and nervous all at the same time,” Ryan Stockdale said at the showing of the “Live Large, Give Large” documentary at Meridian’s Majestic Cinemas. “You’re excited to see the community in action again, but you’re nervous to see yourself on national TV.”

MIDDLETON — The six members of the Stockdale family of Middleton spent Sunday morning at a behind-the-scenes preview of a documentary detailing the construction of their new house by “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.” By the evening, they got to watch themselves on national television.

Hundreds of volunteers who assisted with the construction of the house came to the morning’s documentary screening that took up four theaters at Meridian’s Majestic Cinemas. Dozens of the 200 donors showed up, too, including building partner CBH Homes.

Ryan and Karia Stockdale offered tearful thanks to the crowd of well-wishers who constantly surrounded them inside the theater.

Though still in their 20s, Ryan and Karia have faced numerous challenges in their lives. All four of their children are under the age of 8 and have been diagnosed with eosinophilic enteritis, a white blood cell disease that prevents them from eating many normal foods— requiring them to be fed through tubes in their stomachs.

The challenges grew worse because of problems with their former small, one-story home in Middleton that aggravated the children’s illness, Ryan said. That’s changed now.

“The house is amazing,” he said of the new two-story spacious abode. “Used to be, you’d come home with the pressures from work to worries and concerns about the house. You don’t have that anymore. You can just concentrate on loving your family.”
Karia echoed his thankful remarks.

Family plans tours

The Stockdale family tentatively plans to give tours of the new “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” house on Dec. 29. Proceeds from the tours will be donated to the couple’s alma mater, Middleton High School, which sustained heavy damage in a fire earlier this year. More information will be announced as the tentative date grows nearer.
remarks.

“I can’t even put into words the gratitude we feel,” she said. “We just fall to our knees every night and are grateful that we live where we live and that when you need it, the community will rally around you.”

Even after the “Move that Bus” moment when the Stockdales first saw their new home, the assistance from the concerned community continued.

The family has received thousands of dollars in fundraising assistance. The College of Idaho has promised scholarships for all of the children as well, with Boise State University offering Ryan a scholarship as long as he’s a Bronco. R.C. Willey just announced Saturday their donation of $50,000 worth of furniture and accessories for the home.

The new two-story farmhouse features hardwood floors, spacious living areas and filtered air — important after the last house constantly made the children sick. Each of the kids’ bedrooms carries a different decoration pattern, including Star Wars, Winnie the Pooh, Abraham Lincoln and farm themes to fit each of the youngsters’ tastes.

“The kids love their new rooms, and believe it or not, every one except the 2-yearold keeps them spotless,” Karia said. “They’re so proud of (the rooms) they put everything back where it was when they got them.”

Donors thrilled with
experience

When donors, builders and volunteers come together like they did for the Extreme Makeover shows, they hope it is for a worthy and deserving cause, CBH Homes vice president Ronda Conger said. The Stockdales “more than fit the bill.”

“They’re the most wonderful, charming and deserving family,” Conger said. “This is the most amazing thing we’ve ever been a part of.”

It was an easy choice to want to help the family, CBH Homes owner and president Corey Barton said. “They’re just top notch people ... It was an honor and pleasure to help them.”
Barton, Conger and the rest of the CBH team didn’t meet the Stockdales until the “door knocking” moment, but after getting to know the family, hopes are high for their future.

“I’m very excited for what the team did. It was a great job,” Barton said. “(It) gave them a nice clean environment for the kids to grow up in.”

National spotlight shines

After seeing the episode air on television Sunday night, Ryan spoke about the awkward feeling of seeing himself on television and described the experience of seeing “the other side” of the build.

“You know for us it was like one day it just appeared,” he said. “It was great to see the other side of things and what went on.”

Now that the show is over and the house has been opened, the family will be “moving on,” Ryan said. “All that’s happened really gives you the perspective to look at everything else that’s happening in a new way.”

“It’s kind of like you can get back to business,” he said of life after “Extreme Makeover.” “You can get back to caring for the kids ... This was all so amazing, but to see the episode air and see it end, it’s like another ‘whew’ moment.”

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.