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Trump gives a French toast, wearing jeans for a purpose, the unluckiest guy in the world, what the critics have to say about the new
Avengers movie and Disney debuts footage of the new live action
Lion King, Dumbo and
Aladdin.
President Trump hosted French President Emmanuel Macron at an official White House State Dinner, Trump's first, Tuesday night. In his toast, Trump said, "May our friendship grow even deeper, may our kinship grow even stronger and may our sacred liberty never die." That said, NPR reports that Trump and Macron, while both political outsiders, have plenty of differences: the Iran nuclear agreement and the Paris Climate Accord, to name two. Boise Mayor Dave Bieter has joined local and national officials in proclaiming today Denim Day in the City of Boise. The Women's and Children's Alliance is partnering with a number of other local organizations to bring awareness to sexual assault and the danger of victim-blaming. Denim is worn in reference to an Italian sexual assault case from 1992 in which a rape conviction was overturned by Italian Supreme Court Justices who felt that because the 18-year-old victim was wearing tight jeans, she was implying consent. Dylan McWilliams, 20, may be the unluckiest man on the planet. He has been bitten by a shark, attacked by a bear and bitten by a rattlesnake—all in just over three years. National Geographic says the odds of all of that happening to anyone are 893 quadrillion to one. Speaking of long odds, the Idaho Steelheads have dug themselves out of a major hole, defeating the Allen Americans last night 6-3. After falling into a 3-0 hole in the best of series, the Steelheads have tied things up and now face a deciding Game 7 against the Americans tonight at CenturyLink Arena in Boise. The puck drops at 7 p.m. Early reviews are out for the much-anticipated Avengers: Infinity War, which opens this Friday, April 27. Variety writes that the film is a "sleekly witty action opera." Indiwire says, the movie "contains the most dramatic cliffhanger of any major blockbuster since The Empire Strikes Back." But Vanity Fair says, "The story will conclude next year with a part-two film, which gives Infinity War a slightly unsatisfying tang." The big news at CinemaCon, the annual confab of U.S. cinema owners, is that Disney dazzled the gathering with exclusive sneak-peeks of its new live-action adaptations of The Lion King, Dumbo and Aladdin, all opening in 2019. Variety reports that The Lion King will open next July, 25 years after the original. Dumbo, directed by Tim Burton, stars Danny DeVito and Michael Keaton. And the new…
Opens Friday, April 27 at The Flicks
Leave it to filmmaker Andrew Haigh, born in the northern English town of Harrogate, to explore the harsh realities of Idaho, Oregon and Washington. Haigh's new film, Lean on Pete, is the coming-of-age wonderment of a teenage boy and a broken-down race horse traveling from from Portland, Oregon, across the Idaho desert. Instead of simply showcasing rolling countryside or gorgeous sunrises, Haigh focuses his lens on the contradictions of the rural nature of the Pacific Northwest--where extreme poverty is often framed by extreme beauty. Take 15-year-old Charley (Charlie Plummer) for example, who often doesn't know where his next meal will come from. Charley gravitates to a rundown racetrack outside of Portland where he takes to a chestnut-colored colt named Lean on Pete, that has seen much better days. Pete's owner is bad-tempered Del (Steve Buscemi), a trainer of low-level quarter horses—sprinters that race a quarter-mile or less. Charley also befriends a matter-of-fact jockey, Bonnie (Chloe Sevigny), who always seems to be on the edge of giving up the sport. "There are only so many times you can fall of a horse and get up," says Bonnie, who grows fond of Charley but warns of his caring too much for Pete. "You can't get attached to a horse," she tells him. "Horses aren't pets." But Charley's heart is there for the taking and Pete takes it in full stride. Del hauls Pete from race track to race track across the northwest, many of them makeshift tracks at county fairs. These are not the family friendly race tracks that other Hollywood movies have been so fond of (The Black Stallion, Dreamer). Instead, they're very sketchy places where animal abuse is not uncommon and often overlooked. Ultimately, Charley kidnaps (horsenaps?) Pete, driving the horse across the rural back roads of eastern Oregon, Idaho and Wyoming. What follows isn't a charming road trip film but a harsh, desperate flight. Plummer, a teenage superstar-in-the-making, gives a first-class portrayal of Charley. His breakout role came in All the Money in the World (2017), where he played the kidnapped John Paul Getty III. Lean on Pete director Andrew Haigh began his career as an assistant editor on Gladiator and Black Hawk Dawn and graduated to screenwriter of HBO's Looking and director of one of the best films of 2015, the Academy Award-nominated 45 Years. It has been a full seven months since I first saw Lean on…
Drawing from Consider the Source, BAM challenged artists and designers to create wearable works of art with wood, paint, metal, paper, glass and clay.
The line was long, the designs on the makeshift runway were beyond unique and the guests were dressed to the nines at the Boise Art Museum Art of Fashion Show on April 21. Models wore looks ranging from dresses constructed entirely from soda can tabs to jackets made out of the frames of aviator-style sunglasses. There were glass handbags, metal wings and even a paper-clad Marie Antoinette. Melanie Fales, executive director of BAM, said the creation of the annual Art of Fashion show six years ago came from a community idea. "This is a unique way to celebrate the visual arts and particularly the art of fashion," said Fales. "It makes fun connections between the artwork on display at BAM and the fashions the designers create. It is exciting to have designers respond with professional designs based on the design challenge we produce." Each year, the theme of the show is derived from an exhibition on display at BAM. Fales said there are usually five to six exhibitions to choose from, but one always stands out as the strongest option for a design challenge. This year's theme, "Material," was inspired by Consider the Source, which showcases works from the museum's permanent collection that explore the use of materials with ties to the elements, like glass, wood and clay. "These materials are not typically used to create fashion designs, which presented a particular challenge for artists," said Fales. "The weight of these actual materials along with figuring out a method to create a believable faux finish were unique problems to solve." Drawing from Consider the Source, BAM challenged artists and designers to create wearable works of art. Designers could choose from six categories for inspiration: wood, paint, metal, paper, glass and clay. In addition, the designers also needed to exaggerate the quality of the material they selected through embellishments, finishes and other design elements. As the looks came down the runway, delighted gasps were heard around the house. "Watching the reactions of the guests is exhilarating," said Fales. "They wait with anticipation and are thrilled by each design." Each category was introduced with looks created by local stylists Kellie Levesgue and Isidoro Almaraz. The category with the largest amount of entries was paper, with seven designs. Each design was unique, and the designers spent countless hours on their pieces, which were premiered on a runway set up in the…
"The one thing that's consistent about McDonald's is that it's always changing."
One of the first things customers will notice when a McDonald's employee brings over a cooked-to-order Quarter Pounder is the smell. It smells...well, fresh. It's hotter and juicier, too. "Serving 100 percent fresh beef patties is a very big change for us, all the way through the supply chain to our kitchens," said Rick Darmody, who oversees 26 family-owned McDonald's franchises across the Treasure Valley. "Of course, the biggest change is at the customer level." Forefront among those changes is a feature Darmody has already begun launching at some of his Boise-area McDonald's: tableside service. "Let me show how this works," he said, stepping up to one of four touchpad kiosks now operating at the Overland Road McDonald's. "You can customize just about everything here." Customers flipping through the electronic menu can adjust everything from the ingredients on their burgers to size of their beverages and even the amount of salt on their french fries. "Then you choose a table tent sign," said Darmody. "Each of these table tents is equipped with bluetooth technology, and restaurant-wide sensors will tell us where you're sitting. I think some customers still enjoy the option of coming to the counter to place their order, but we expect the usage of our new kiosks to increase over time." Change has definitely come to McDonald's in a big way, what with the new McDonald's app, which alerts locations to have pickup orders ready using GPS technology, and McDonald's new Uber Eats partnership for home delivery. "Customers love McDonald's because they say it stays the same," said Darmody. "But those of us who have been with McDonald's for a while know that the one thing that's consistent about McDonald's is that it's always changing."…
"We just have to figure out a way to have an event that's more efficient for us to stage as a small congregation—we're just a victim of our own success."
Each June, Boiseans begin yearning for corned beef and pastrami sandwiches; puffy knishes; sweet, pillowy challah bread and endless varieties of desserts. It's the three-decade long tradition of Deli Days at Congregation Ahavath Beth Israel—one of the oldest active synagogues west of the Mississippi—to provide all that and more. Each year, the festival unveiled a first-class kosher menu, bringing flavors "straight from the Bronx" all the way to Idaho. But this year, the Idaho Jewish Festival is taking a recess. And one of the big reasons, ironically, is its popularity with a rapidly-expanding Treasure Valley population. "While the event and our customer base keeps growing, our actual synagogue membership doesn't grow by nearly as much," said Amy Duque, Vice President of Ahavath Beth Israel's Executive Committee. Congregation Ahavath Beth Israel, then on State Street, began hosting Idaho's Jewish Festival in the 1980s, selling hot dogs out of a tiny basement. As the City of Trees grew, so too did the festival, evolving into one of Boise's most popular summertime traditions. Organizers even began taking preorders and offering delivery to accommodate hungry customers. In the past few years of Deli Days, the event attracted more than 4,000 visitors to the synagogue, now nestled in a Boise Bench neighborhood. "As [Deli Days] needs to get bigger to accommodate all the new customers, we really don't have enough people to make the event bigger. It kind of got a little bit out of our hands, in that way," said Duque. This year's Deli Days hiatus appears to be proof of a recent Forbes Magazine estimate, which named Boise America's fastest-growing city. Despite its success in bringing the Treasure Valley closer to Jewish culture, Duques said the congregation has not quite reaped all of the benefits of Deli Days as a vehicle for fundraising. It was a typical case of supply not reaching demand: as the festival grew and the congregation population remained stable, members became buried in volunteer hours. "Not that it's purely a financial decision, but we just have to figure out a way to have an event that's more efficient for us to stage as a small congregation—we're just a victim of our own success," Duque said. "We don't want to bite off more than we can chew." But don't worry: Duque and CABI's Executive Board expect Deli Days to make a comeback. There aren't any set plans yet, but Duque…
Boiseans can hear Wide Stance's slick blend of rock, soul and funk firsthand when the band plays The Reef on Friday, April 27, and Saturday, April 28.
When most longtime Idahoans hear the phrase "wide stance," they'll probably think of former U.S. Senator Larry Craig (R-Idaho) and his 2007 arrest for lewd conduct. The members of Wide Stance know this—that's why they chose it as their band name. "The joke is Idaho is never in the news, and when it is, it's like, 'What?'" guitarist Luke Nuxoll said, chuckling. "So I think that's why we all kind of laughed about that name. And I think it describes us as well, in that we have really wide stances in musical tastes and political opinions and everything. We're all coming from a different area, so we do have a wide stance in a lot of ways. But of course, it's also funny because we all love to laugh." The name may be a joke, but the band's talent isn't. Originally called The Hitmen, the Lewiston-based group established a reputation as a cover band, playing gigs ranging from private parties to opening slots for Collective Soul and Colbie Caillat. In 2017, the band changed its name and began focusing on original material. The slick blend of rock, soul and funk on Wide Stance's self-titled debut EP (self-released, 2017) suggests a promising future for the rechristened band. Boiseans can hear that blend firsthand when Wide Stance plays The Reef on Friday, April 27, and Saturday, April 28. Nuxoll sees Wide Stance as "four different versions of Idaho. Our bass player is from Boise, born and raised. Our singer is born and raised in Lewiston—kind of that middle-of-the-road town. The drummer is a farmer's son—lives way, way out of town. And then I'm an Army brat: My roots are all from Idaho, but I didn't live here 'til I was 19." The foundation of the band reaches back to Nuxoll's childhood days, when he met drummer Curtis Boyer. "A music teacher here in town had this kid playing for him. ... There was a school concert in the sixth grade, and the regular drummer for the school could not play a part. And Curt, a sixth grader, said, 'I can play that part.' He'd never played drums for the school, never heard anything, and he sat down and he nailed the part. When he was a sophomore in high school, he started doing gigs with me in other projects. He was that good right out of the gate." The same music teacher…
The levels of access and campaign spending are off the charts, but voter engagement remains in question
Ada County Chief Deputy Clerk Phil McGrane, who oversees Idaho's largest elections operations, doesn't soft-pedal the historic possibilities of the Tuesday, May 15, primary. "It's a turning point in our state for both parties," he said. "Just looking at the race for governor. It doesn't matter whether you're a Democrat or Republican. These are really big decisions." Size does have a lot to do with the coming vote. Not the size of the vote, but the size of the campaign war chests. "Despite this being a primary election, this may end up being the most expensive election in Idaho history," said McGrane. "Just look at the television ads and follow the money. This is one of the biggest we've ever seen." Most pundits aren't expecting a major turnout at the polls, meaning the cost-per-vote may also head to the record books. In Ada County, for example, there are nearly 225,000 registered voters, but no one thinks anywhere near that number will cast votes May 15. The general consensus is that voter turnout could be as low as 25 percent. "If we're really lucky, it might bump a percent or two higher, but it will most probably be in the low- to mid-20s," said McGrane. "The unfortunate trend is—and I've looked back as far as 1980—we're at a steady 2 percent decline in participation." McGrane would like nothing more than to drive those numbers up. He and his colleagues are doing everything possible to improve availability and ease of access to the polls. "Unfortunately, this will not even be remotely close to a big election. Voters—if they show up at all—participate in general elections and usually don't show up in the primaries," he said. "This is a huge election and we truly want people to weigh in." That's why, for example, Ada County has added five new precincts, bringing the total number of polling places to 150. But it's not as if McGrane and his colleagues simply dropped five new precincts onto the map. The readjustment impacted the boundaries of 16 existing precincts, meaning McGrane and his team had to communicate with all of the registered voters in those precincts regarding their new polling places. Ada County residents have come to expect early voting opportunities, and for the upcoming primary, early voting begins Monday, April 30, and continues Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Boise City Hall, Meridian…
Medicaid for Idaho needs to get the signatures of 56,192 registered voters to make the cut.
Alex DeRyan has lived in Idaho on and off for years, but in January 2017, he left for Spokane, Washington, in large part because he was fed up the Idaho Legislature's steadfast refusal to expand Medicaid. "I was getting tired of the way Idaho does things, in terms of its legislature and how it treats people with medical issues," he said. An occupational therapist, DeRyan often sees how injuries, illness and chronic conditions affect people's lives in areas as diverse as employment, family life and finances, especially in the absence of health insurance. According to U.S. Census data, there were approximately 78,000 Idahoans in the health insurance coverage gap in 2014. More recent numbers from the Idaho Department of Health & Welfare show the gap has shrunk to approximately 35,000 people, but for DeRyan and others, that's still far too many. "Certain folks—single, childless adults between 19 and 64—when they have devastating medical situations, can't qualify for Medicaid in this state," he said. "If that's the case, they're forced to go to emergency rooms for help, and if you have a longstanding medical issue, [like] cancer, you can't keep going to the emergency room every day." A signature drive by Reclaim Idaho in the final days of its campaign could make an end-run around the Idaho Legislature and put Medicaid expansion on the November ballot. That campaign, Medicaid for Idaho, needs to get the signatures of 56,192 registered voters to make the cut. So far, it has collected approximately 54,000, but time is running short. "We're coming up on the deadline," said Sam Sandmire, the co-chair of MFI operations in Ada and Canyon counties. "Everything needs to be turned in before [Tuesday,] May 1." The specific requirements are a result of state rules that say efforts to put referenda on statewide ballots must collect signatures from 6 percent of registered voters in 18 of Idaho's 35 voting districts. The rules were put in place by the Idaho Legislature in the wake of the 2012 defeat of Props. 1, 2 and 3, better known as the Luna Laws—education reforms that were popular with the Republican governor and his superintendent of public instruction, but much less popular with voters. MFI has canvassed the Gem State for signatures in an attempt to meet the quota. Thus far, its efforts have been successful. As of April 17 the group had "qualified" its petitions in…
Eight hundred forty-five Ada County Democrats officially switched to the Republican party before the primary deadline.
The fact that there is little to no regular polling, at least publicly, has added an extra layer of drama to the Democratic and Republican gubernatorial races in the Tuesday, May 15, primary. Speak to any of the top political camps—businessman and physician Dr. Tommy Ahlquist, Lieutenant Governor Brad Little and Congressman Raul Labrador on the Republican side, and businessman A.J. Balukoff and former Idaho House Rep. Paulette Jordan in the Democratic race—and you'll hear nothing but confidence about their chances. But the most recent poll conducted by Idaho Politics Weekly indicates that more than a third of respondents remain undecided. "Based on what I'm hearing around the state, the undecideds are likely to be younger and likely to be more female," said Steve Taggart, veteran campaign manager and current contributor to Idaho Politics Weekly. "I also don't see undecideds bunched up in one portion of the state; they're fairly well-distributed geographically. The big question on May 15 will be who can pull in a significant share of those undecideds. How can they make those people's lives better? Quite frankly, I think that's the part that all the campaigns have struggled with so far." One struggle for voters has been the slew of mudslinging television campaign ads that have aired in the race so far, particularly among GOP gubernatorial candidates. "There's a very interesting dynamic with such vitriolic attack ads, especially when there are three candidates," said Taggart. "We keep seeing one of the candidates attacking the other two. But there's a real danger of turning a lot of people off with all those attacks. And those undecideds may not land with the candidate who has been doing the most attacking." Taggart says the Ahlquist, Little and Labrador campaigns are very insistent on how they brand themselves. "Brad Little argues that he wants to go beyond the legacy of Gov. [C.L. 'Butch'] Otter, but in large part, Little wants to keep us on the same direction where we've been. Tommy Ahlquist insists we have to make change. And Raul Labrador sees the whole system as being corrupt. Those are the three niches," said Taggart. "And they're really pushing their messages hard in the homestretch. Raul Labrador's television ads have started popping up. Of course, Tommy Ahlquist's TV ads have been running since last summer and Brad Little is ramping up his airtime in a significant way. I think Little may…
Trump gives a French toast, wearing jeans for a purpose, the unluckiest guy in the world, what the critics have to say about the new Avengers movie and Disney debuts footage of the new live action Lion King, Dumbo and Aladdin.
President Trump hosted French President Emmanuel Macron at an official White House State Dinner, Trump's first, Tuesday night. In his toast, Trump said, "May our friendship grow even deeper, may our kinship grow even stronger and may our sacred liberty never die." That said, NPR reports that Trump and Macron, while both political outsiders, have plenty of differences: the Iran nuclear agreement and the Paris Climate Accord, to name two. Boise Mayor Dave Bieter has joined local and national officials in proclaiming today Denim Day in the City of Boise. The Women's and Children's Alliance is partnering with a number of other local organizations to bring awareness to sexual assault and the danger of victim-blaming. Denim is worn in reference to an Italian sexual assault case from 1992 in which a rape conviction was overturned by Italian Supreme Court Justices who felt that because the 18-year-old victim was wearing tight jeans, she was implying consent. Dylan McWilliams, 20, may be the unluckiest man on the planet. He has been bitten by a shark, attacked by a bear and bitten by a rattlesnake—all in just over three years. National Geographic says the odds of all of that happening to anyone are 893 quadrillion to one. Speaking of long odds, the Idaho Steelheads have dug themselves out of a major hole, defeating the Allen Americans last night 6-3. After falling into a 3-0 hole in the best of series, the Steelheads have tied things up and now face a deciding Game 7 against the Americans tonight at CenturyLink Arena in Boise. The puck drops at 7 p.m. Early reviews are out for the much-anticipated Avengers: Infinity War, which opens this Friday, April 27. Variety writes that the film is a "sleekly witty action opera." Indiwire says, the movie "contains the most dramatic cliffhanger of any major blockbuster since The Empire Strikes Back." But Vanity Fair says, "The story will conclude next year with a part-two film, which gives Infinity War a slightly unsatisfying tang." The big news at CinemaCon, the annual confab of U.S. cinema owners, is that Disney dazzled the gathering with exclusive sneak-peeks of its new live-action adaptations of The Lion King, Dumbo and Aladdin, all opening in 2019. Variety reports that The Lion King will open next July, 25 years after the original. Dumbo, directed by Tim Burton, stars Danny DeVito and Michael Keaton. And the new…
Students at the Idaho Fine Arts Academy are in the running to win $75,000 for their school art program.
Shoes are made for walking, but in the Vans Custom Culture Competition, feet step aside. The competition challenges high school students to create original designs from blank canvas shoes, and the ones they've come up with certainly push creative boundaries. The students were tasked with designing two pairs of shoes based on the themes “Local Flavor” and “Off the Wall.” Vans has narrowed the down from 500 to 50, and students at the Idaho Fine Arts Academy in Eagle, Idaho, are among the semifinalists in the running to win $75,000 for their school art program. Online voting on the Vans website (click the competition link above) continues through Friday, May 4, at which point the 50 semifinalists will be narrowed down to five. Once the final five are determined, one will be declared the winner. Four runner-up schools will each receive $10,000 for their art programs, along with a gift from Vans. Megan Klempa, the Vans Custom Culture Program Manager, said that the program is designed to reinforce Vans’ commitment to artistic expression and to inspire kids to lead creative lives.…
"The decision to reinvent the space was really a no-brainer. ... It was really time for a change."
Boise Mayor Dave Bieter cracked the first tile Wednesday in a renovation of the Capitol Terrace. Among the first urban renewal projects in the City of Trees, the terrace will be known as "Main + Marketplace" after its facelift. "[This is one of the projects] that told us we could rebuild downtown," Bieter said. The renovation and re-branding, he added, will be an extension of the ongoing revitalization of the downtown core. The overhaul is concurrent with a bevy of construction and remodeling projects by tenants, as well as new business openings in the complex. Downtown Boise Association Executive Director Lynn Hightower said that over the years, businesses in the terrace like The Balcony Club and The Piper Pub & Grill have "had a front row seat for the birth of their downtown." Nick Eppler of Jekyll & Hyde Bagel Company, which is slated to open in the new Main + Marketplace later this year, said he thinks a visual update of the terrace will keep it in line with the new BoDo aesthetic. "The decision to reinvent the space was really a no-brainer," Eppler said. "It was really time for a change." Hawkins Companies, which took ownership of the building in 2017, is fronting the renovation. Improvements are expected to be completed sometime in August. When asked how the project's $2 million price tag will be funded, HC Owner Gary Hawkins tugged at his pocket lining. "It's out of my pockets," he said. [pdf-1]…
“Her work speaks to the fundamentals of art and engages with art history, while at the same time being incredibly imaginative and fresh.”
Heather Carson’s artwork, now showing at Boise Art Museum, displays white florescent lights from a unique perspective. Though all of the lights she uses in her sculptures are white, juxtaposed they appear to glow with colors like blue, pink and orange. With its strong modern aesthetic and an emphasis on industrialism, viewing Carson's exhibition, Sculpted Light, feels almost like walking downtown after dark, bathed in florescent glow. “Her work speaks to the fundamentals of art and engages with art history, while at the same time being incredibly imaginative and fresh,” said Melanie Fales, executive director at BAM. Fales and her staff discovered Carson’s work in 2016 at Ace Gallery in Los Angeles. After seeing installation images of Carson’s exhibit light/WHITE , Fales wanted to bring her work to the Boise area. In the BAM gallery, Carson's pieces emit a soft, neutral glow that pairs well with the other artwork while also standing out. “This exhibition affirms our interest in expanding perceptions of what art is," Fales said. "Carson’s sculptures ... challenge the notion of a divide between fine art and industrial design." Sculpted Light is on display at BAM through Sunday, July 22.…
Trump's pick to head the VA withdraws his name, a fatal accident on the interstate, a huge comeback for the Idaho Steelheads, Prince Harry asks Prince William to be his best man and A Quiet Place gets a sequel.
Dr. Ronny Jackson announced early this morning that he was withdrawing his name as a nominee to lead the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, following a steady stream of accusations against him including improper dispensation of prescription drugs and being intoxicated while traveling with the president. The New York Times reports that Jackson's statement read, "Unfortunately, because of how Washington works, these false allegations have become a distraction for this president and the important issue we must be addressing—how we give the best care to our nation's heroes." A Boise man died early this morning following a single-engine crash on the westbound Interstate 84 near Caldwell overnight. Idaho State Police say 39-year-old David Cotten was driving eastbound in a 1986 Ford pickup when the vehicle went off the left shoulder of the road. Cotten overcorrected, drove off the left should again and rolled the vehicle. He was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the vehicle. Cotten died just before 4 a.m. at St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise. At CenturyLink Arena in Boise last night, The Idaho Steelheads beat the Allen Americans 4-1, winning Game 7 in the first round of the Kelly Cup playoffs. Not many sports reporters gave the Steelheads much of a chance after going down 3 games to 0 in the best-of-seven series. The Steelheads will advance to the second round, where they'll face the Colorado Eagles beginning Saturday, April 28, in Colorado. That best-of-seven series returns to Boise for Game 3 on Wednesday, May 2. Former President George H.W. Bush was moved from the intensive care unit to a regular hospital room on Wednesday after suffering from a blood infection. Sports Illustrated reports that a spokesman for the 93-year-old Bush said the former president was less concerned about his health and more concerned about the Houston Rockets playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Bush can rest a bit easier. The Rockets beat the Timberwolves last night, 122-104, winning their best-of-seven NBA first round playoff. Prince Harry has asked his brother, Prince William, to be his Best Man when Harry marries Meghan Markle on Saturday, May 19. People Magazine reports that Harry said, "Losing our mother at a young age, it's helped us travel through that difficult patch together. You're like-minded. You go through similar things—it's a bond, and it's something you know you've tackled together and come out better."…
The Boise-based band has five members and a far reaching genre, described on its Facebook page as a mixture of psych, rock, velvet shoegaze, pop, noise and garage.
In the music produced by local band HiHazel, retro guitar riffs recall the influence of Jimi Hendrix, mixing with vocals that resemble a cross between the tones of Iggy Pop and the The Beatles. The Boise-based band has five members and a far reaching genre, described on its Facebook page as a mixture of psych, rock, velvet shoegaze, pop, noise and garage. The song “Ride into the Sun,” off the group’s debut album Private Palace (self-released, 2016) clocks in at 16 minutes, and is emblematic of its unique approach. Practically three songs in one, “Ride into the Sun” feels like a journey across HiHazel’s artistic range, beginning with a vintage Cage the Elephant vibe before transitioning to a solid instrumental piece rich with reverberating cello. At the end of the track, twangy vocals mix with psychedelic sounds in an exhausted spiral; a perfect audible replication of what an intergalactic slog to the sun might feel like.
"Empathy is a muscle. The more you can use it, the more it can do."
Journalist Katherine Boo made it clear from the outset of her talk that she wouldn't discuss what makes a pretty sentence or how she rose to prominence as a journalist. Her Readings & Conversations presentation, delivered Wednesday evening at The Egyptian Theatre courtesy of The Cabin literary center, was about poverty—specifically, the lessons she'd gleaned from years of reporting on people who are economically disadvantaged. "I've decided to privilege tonight what I see in the so-called field," Boo said. "The concerns of low-income people have fallen off the political map." Though the number of people affected by extreme poverty has been dramatically reduced in the 21st century, she said, their travails remain as acute as ever, from toxic living environments and unsteady employment to inequitable treatment from the police. Boo, who has been a reporter and editor for The Washington Post, and is now a staff writer for The New Yorker, is the author of Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity, a work of longform journalism about people living in Annawadi, a slum at the Mumbai airport. It won her a National Book Award for nonfiction. Boo said in writing the book, and in her reporting in general, it was important for her to try to build a relationship between her subjects and readers by presenting those she reported on as people with problems, relationships, experiences and wisdom of their own, rather than representatives of India in transition or poverty. "Empathy is a muscle. The more you can use it, the more it can do," she said. Boo's was the last presentation in the 2017-18 Readings & Conversations season. Here's who will be in Boise as part of the series starting in October: Tuesday, October 9: Matthew Desmond, professor of sociology and author of Evicted January 16, 2019: Tayari Jones, novelist and author of Leaving Atlanta, Silver Sparrow and An American Marriage February 13, 2019: Tara Westover, Idaho-born author of a memoir, Educated March 13, 2019: David Grann, nonfiction author of The Lost City of Z and Killers of the Flower Moon April 25, 2019: Jennifer Egan, journalist and author of Manhattan Beach…
Charles Longjaw was being held at the Oregon State Hospital after being found insane. Oregon changed its interpretation of the law and he was released, raising questions about how states manage violent offenders with mental illness.
In September 2015, Oregon’s Psychiatric Security Review Board faced a decision with potentially momentous consequences for public safety. Sitting before them in a small hearing room at the state hospital was Charles Longjaw, a 50-year-old killer and rapist judged to be guilty except for insanity.A state psychologist warned that Longjaw was likely to resume his abuse of alcohol and drugs if the board released him from strict supervision. Once drunk or high, he would be unable to restrain impulses that had previously led to a brutal murder, an attempted murder and a vicious rape. He would attack again if “he feels disrespected or threatened in some fashion,” she wrote. “The victim could be a stranger or a friend.”For reasons that have much to do with the limits of Oregon law, the three board members present that day decided to release Longjaw, regardless of the danger. Under the relevant state statute, the board concluded, he could no longer be classified as criminally insane.“You are discharged,” the chairwoman said.“Thank you,” Longjaw replied at the end of a nearly two-hour hearing in which he had not testified.A little more than a year later, Longjaw was in handcuffs facing new murder charges.About 6 p.m. on a November night in 2016, he repeatedly plunged a knife into the stomach and arm of a homeless man as they argued on a downtown Portland sidewalk. He walked away after the attack, leaving the man mortally wounded.Longjaw is not the only person judged criminally insane in Oregon who was charged with violent crimes shortly after being released from state control.Two weeks after he was arrested, the state board met again to consider the release of another man doctors had determined to be a danger to the public — Anthony W. Montwheeler. And just as in the Longjaw case, the Psychiatric Security Review Board ruled it had no grounds to hold Montwheeler under state law. After 19 years of overseeing Montwheeler’s treatment and movements, the board ruled he was free to go on Dec. 7, 2016.Four weeks later, Montwheeler killed two people and severely injured a third near the Oregon farming town of Vale, prosecutors have charged.Longjaw and Montwheeler were free because the state board itself is handcuffed by laws that haven’t been modified despite such high-profile cases.Like most states, Oregon does not imprison people who commit crimes while in a diminished mental state. A court can send someone…
May in Motion is designed to educate and encourage more Treasure Valley residents from driving alone.
In celebration of May in Motion, Valley Regional Transit is offering rides on all ValleyRide buses or rentals via Boise GreenBike at no cost throughout the month of May. The free rides will be available on all 20 fixed bus routes in Boise, three fixed bus routes in Nampa/Caldwell and six inter-county bus routes between Ada and Canyon counties. Additionally, GreenBike rentals will be free at more than 81 official stations and flex hubs, which offer more than 120 bikes. Valley Ride officials say the monthlong May in Motion campaign is designed to educate and encourage more Treasure Valley residents to get around without their cars. Instead, transit officials say drivers should consider other options such as ValleyRide buses, carpooling, vanpooling and, of course, walking or riding.…
The end of the Korean War, the opening of the James Castle House, a familiar name for the little prince, a price hike for Amazon Prime and Abba returns to the recording studio.
The leaders of North and South Korea agreed early today to declare an official end to the Korean War. Bloomberg News reports that Kim Jong-un and Moon Jae-in also agreed to to work toward removing all nuclear weapons from the Korean peninsula. Former NBC journalist Linda Vester tells Variety that she was the victim of sexual harassment by veteran NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw. Vester alleges that Brokaw tried to physically force her to kiss him, groped her and showed up at her hotel room uninvited. Brokaw is denying the allegations. Kensington Palace announces that there's a name for the newest little prince: His Highness Prince Louis of Cambridge. NBC News reports that the name has strong family connections. Lord Louis Mountbatten was a dear friend of Prince Charles, and Prince Phillip, Queen Elizabeth's husband, also had a grandfather named Louis of Battenberg. The public will finally get its first look at the James Castle House tomorrow as City of Boise officials cut the ribbon on the much-anticipated destination. Tours will be conducted of the home and property, and the Eugene Street neighborhood will hold a street party through most of the day. The site was home to famed artist James Castle for much of his life. In the four decades since his death, his work has been showcased at the Whitney Museum in New York City and the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. The James Castle House is what architects call a "vernacular house." Since its original construction, the house has undergone numerous phases of addition and modernization. Through the structure's revitalization, historians and architects uncovered much of the home's history. Amazon has announced it will charge $20 more per year for its Prime membership, which includes free two-day shipping and access to video streaming libraries. The new price goes into effect Friday, May 11, for new subscribers, and for existing subscribers, the boost will go into effect when their subscriptions are up for renewal. Boise will see some of the season's warmest weather today when the high temperature climbs to the mid- to upper 80s. Unfortunately, the National Weather Service Office in Boise says showers are likely overnight and temperatures will drop by twenty degrees on Saturday. More showers are in the forecast throughout the weekend and temperatures are expected to remain the 60s for the next five days. Mamma Mia! Abba has returned to the recording studio…
With more than 145,000 votes cast, this has been a historic Best of Boise, but all good things must come to an end. At midnight on Monday, April 30, the voting period will close. Folks with favorites in the five categories up for consideration—Arts & Entertainment, Bars & Nightlife, Food & Dining, Goods & Services and Sports & Recreation—have until then to cast their ballots. Happy voting!…
Amaru will have a case of desserts for customers to choose from, with emphasis on its 18 flavors of artisan cake by the slice. Staff will also offer suggestions for how to pair each sweet treat with a beverage.
Desserts from Amaru Confections have been a mainstay in Boise restaurants and grocery stores—Whole Foods, District Coffee House and Fork among them—for more than a decade, and over the years the business has evolved from an in-home specialty cake startup to a thriving 3000-square-foot commercial bakery and a retail space on the Boise Bench. Now, one patio expansion and interior facelift later, a new incarnation of Amaru will open at 217 S. Roosevelt on Friday, May 4: a date-night dessert bar, which will pair Amaru desserts with regional beers, wines and ciders. “My wife and I have wanted to create a dessert-only restaurant for about three years now," Chris Wyatt, who owns Amaru with his wife, Aimee, wrote in a press release. "The idea hit us while traveling in San Diego. We stumbled onto a local place that offered a wide variety of desserts, and they suggested a wine, champagne or beer to pair with our dessert choice. A light bulb went off for both of us." Renovating the bakery's existing Bench space was a long slog, involving everything from knocking out walls to adding a new patio. "We've moved from something that had absolutely zero retail seating—we literally had one table for people when we met with them for their wedding cake [tasting]—to now we have seating outside for about 35 to 40, and indoors about the same," said Wyatt in a phone interview. Amaru will have a case of desserts for customers to choose from, with emphasis on its 18 flavors of artisan cake by the slice. Staff will also offer suggestions for how to pair each sweet treat with a beverage. Wyatt, for example, said he would recommend pairing the bakery's ganache-filled Mexican mocha chocolate cake with a Kona Vanilla Thrilla stout, or a glass of Proletariat red. The bar will emphasize local wineries and breweries, with pours from Coiled Wines, Cinder Wines, Sawtooth Winery, Boise Brewing, Woodland Empire Alecraft, Payette Brewing and more on offer. Wyatt said the goal for the dessert bar is to make the spot a destination for couples, whether they've been married for years or are just stepping out on a first date. Later, the bakery plans to "hook up" with dating apps like Tinder and websites like eHarmony to offer coupons to couples. "Let's just say you met somebody online or you met somebody somewhere and you wanted to go on a first date with them," Wyatt…
