Slideshow: Hawthorne Elementary Opens Native Plants Garden in Boise

School Garden Coordinator Amy Pence-Brown (left) and Principal James Bright (right) of Hawthorne Elementary School celebrate the opening of the new learning garden.

In a lot of elementary schools, the closest kids come to nature on campus is running across clipped green soccer fields or playing hide-and-seek behind the occasional tree. The exception is Hawthorne Elementary School on the Boise Bench, where students have been breaking the mold—and breaking new ground—since they started digging a vegetable garden on Earth Day in 2014, aiming to grow their own Thanksgiving feast. The back-to-nature trend has never slowed, and Hawthorne took another step Oct. 17 this year, when parents, students and staff celebrated the grand opening of an Idaho Native Plants Learning Landscape & Teaching Garden on campus with a ribbon cutting ceremony, garden tours, treats and a performance from a pint-sized orchestra.

The effort was largely spearheaded by parent and School Garden Coordinator Amy Pence-Brown, a Junior Master Gardener group leader who is also a well-known body image activist and writer. Standing at the center of her half-acre creation, surrounded by sage brush, stone-lined gravel paths and low-growing dessert flowers, Pence-Brown was very much in her element.

“I love outdoor education,” she said. “I’m passionate about getting kids outside and getting
their hands in the dirt. [With the Native Plants Garden] we’re teaching them to be stewards of the world—not only their own backyards but also the Idaho landscape as a whole.”

Pence-Brown has led the Garden Advisory Team at Hawthorne—a group that includes Hawthorne School Principal James Bright, five parents, three teachers and a handful of students—for the last three years. Although inspired by the environmental lessons kids were learning in the classroom (students at Hawthorne have studied worm composting and even created a miniature trout hatchery), Pence-Brown said she "didn’t know what [she] was doing” when she first proposed tearing out a swath of grass for the garden projects. It was the right partnerships, nearly a dozen grant and funding sources and hours of education and training that made the transformation possible.

The Fibonacci spiral sculpture, which will soon be planted with dwarf sunflowers.

Holly Beck, a Bureau of Land Management botanist and Idaho landscape expert who Pence-Brown described as her “partner in crime,” was probably the most experienced voice on the team, having helped design desert gardens for Bruneau Elementary School in Bruneau and Roosevelt Elementary in Boise. At Hawthorne, Beck recommended plants for different sections of the garden, including fragrant chocolate-mint flowers for the pollinator garden and dwarf sunflowers with spiral seeds to plant in a Fibonacci spiral sculpture. Throughout the space, the team has merged beauty, function and education, creating four different themed garden sections, an amphitheater and a meeting area for teachers, all dotted with art, signage and furniture made by local artists and craftsmen.

“Amy poured her heart and soul into this vision,” said Principal Bright, speaking to a crowd of roughly 50 parents and students gathered in and around the small sandstone amphitheater that forms the heart of the garden space. “And that blueprint, now we have it in front of our eyes. It has come to life.”

Pence-Brown, however, doesn’t think the project is finished yet.

“I don’t think gardens are ever done,” she said, smiling as she looked around at the slice of foothills she helped to create. “We’ll be working on this forever.”

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Red Lion in downtown Boise is for sale

The Red Lion in downtown is for sale, as are 10 other Red Lions across the Pacific Northwest. Photo by Teya Vitu.

The 182-room Red Lion Hotel Boise Downtowner is for sale, as is the 163-room Red Lion Templin’s Hotel in Post Falls.

The two are among the last 18 hotels that Red Lion Hotels Corp. still owns. More than a 1,000 Red Lion hotels have been franchised off in the past three years, according to a Red Lion news release.

The Boise hotel is among 11 Red Lions in the greater Pacific Northwest that have been listed with CBRE, the Los Angeles-based commercial real estate giant. Red Lion will retain the other seven hotels for now.

The Red Lion has been in place at 1800 Fairview since 2001-02. Previously, that property had a DoubleTree Hotel.

The seven-story, 140,715-square-foot structure was built in 1960 and is assessed at $6.1 million, according to the Ada County Assessor.

The Red Lion is the sixth-largest Boise hotel, soon to be seventh-largest pending the opening of the 185-room Residence Inn Boise Downtown City Center.

The Red Lion is larger than all of the 30-plus hotels recently opened or under construction in Idaho, except the Residence Inn. Its size and the fact that the land underneath is leased could be a stumbling block to finding a buyer, said David Wali, executive vice president at Gardner Company, which is building a Hilton Garden Inn in downtown Boise.

“There are a lot of rooms,” said Wali, part of the investor group that owns 40 percent of the Riverside Hotel, the largest in the Treasure Valley. “When your do 200-room renovations, that’s a lot of money.”

Wali said a year ago he did ask if the Red Lion was available but got no response.

“There isn’t a single piece of downtown real estate I don’t find interesting,” said Wali, who has an ownership share in numerous downtown Boise properties. “I will always look.”

He added there could be one buyer for all 11 Red Lions or they could sell individually. The others are in Salt Lake City; Spokane, Olympia, Pasco, Richland, and Port Angeles, Washington; and Bend, Oregon. There are also two in northern California, in Eureka and Redding.

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Why Your Next Trip To Boise ID Will Be Memorable

The capital city of the state of Idaho is called Boise. It is a city with 1/4 million people. There are beautiful locations that you can visit such as the Boise Art Museum, a place that has outdoor sculptures and contemporary works of art. Boise is located very close to a couple different national forests, and also Snake River. It is located right off of Interstate 84, and if you have never been north of Twin Falls, this is a place that you should consider visiting. These are a few of the many things that you can do once you get to Boise.

Boise River Greenbelt

This is a Parkway where you can have a lot of fun. If there hasn’t been very much flooding, you will certainly enjoy the view. There is a bike trail that you can go on, and are many beautiful places that are worth taking photographs of. It is a beautiful natural area of this state.

World Center For Birds Of Prey

If you enjoy birds of prey, you will certainly want to visit this location that takes care of many of them. You will be able to see people lecturing and demonstrating what can be done with birds like kestrels, if falcon that has owl like qualities.

There are other locations that you can visit such as the Idaho State Capitol Building, and if you want to go for a walk in the park, the Kathryn Albertson park is a wonderful place to visit. There is also a zoo which your kids will love, and if you enjoy botanical gardens, the Idaho Botanical Garden is a place you will enjoy. Once you arrive, you will realize that the pace in the city is very slow. You will be able to relax. However, you will also be very busy going to the many different attractions and tours that are available in the city of Boise, a place that you will enjoy.

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Eye on Boise: Silak, Trout and Brody talk women on Idaho’s highest court

From left, Cathy Silak, Linda Copple Trout and Robyn Brody – the only three women ever to serve as justices of the Idaho Supreme Court – speak on a panel in Boise sponsored by the Idaho Legal History Society on Sept. 14, 2017. (Betsy Z. Russell / SR)

In more than 150 years, just three women have served on the Idaho Supreme Court, and the three have some interesting insights into why that is, and what could change it.

Current Justice Robyn Brody, former Chief Justice Linda Copple Trout, and former Justice Cathy Silak spoke on a panel Thursday sponsored by the Idaho Legal History Society. Trout noted that when she first started practicing law in Idaho in the 1970s, there were few women lawyers, let alone judges.

“For many years, there just weren’t many of us,” she told a Boise audience of close to 100 that was heavy on female lawyers and law students. Now, there are more female lawyers, but there’s still a lack of female applicants for many of Idaho’s judicial posts.

Trout said that when she was chief justice, the court did a survey and found that the biggest reason female lawyers cited in not applying for judicial positions in Idaho was the prospect of having to run in an election. “Don’t be afraid of elections,” she told the crowd. “You can do it. Justice Brody demonstrated in a big way that you can.”

Brody, who was elected to the Idaho Supreme Court in a hotly contested race last year, said there have often been no female applicants for Idaho judgeships when vacancies have occurred in the past decade – particularly in parts of the state outside the Boise area. “If you’re looking at the judiciary, I would encourage you to look at other communities,” she said. “The rural counties are a great place to practice. … You may find opportunities you never dreamed of.”

She added, “If you want to be on the Supreme Court, you’ve got to tell people. … You have to tell people that that’s what’s in your heart.”

Silak noted that she was the last woman appointed to the Idaho Supreme Court – and that was 25 years ago. Recalling her Idaho Judicial Council interview for the appointment, she said, “It was the most nerve-wracking experience – I shouldn’t say that.” To laughter, she said, “You all should apply.”

Idaho justices can join the court in two ways: through appointment, when there’s a midterm vacancy, which requires screening by the Idaho Judicial Council and appointment by the governor; or through election, when a justice leaves office at the end of his or her term.

Silak also urged women not to be afraid of elections – though she was ousted from the Supreme Court in a contested election in 2000, losing to Justice Dan Eismann, who retired last month. However, she said, “I am the only person since 1936, I think, to be defeated as a Supreme Court justice, so it’s not that big of a risk, and my election was extremely unusual … so don’t let that stop you.”

She noted that was the third time she ran in a judicial election, including a contested election for her second term on the Supreme Court, and she won the first two. “I am two for three,” she said with a smile.

Silak echoed a recent call from retired Chief Justice Jim Jones for a change in Idaho’s judicial elections, to move them from the May primary to the November general election. She noted that she was appointed by then-Gov. Cecil Andrus, a Democrat. But when she stood for re-election for the nonpartisan post, it was in a primary election – in which 86 percent of those voting were Republicans. “That’s when all the real partisans show up,” she said. “This can be fixed by our Idaho state Legislature – it does not require a change to our constitution.”

Currently, if no candidate gets a majority in the primary, the top two proceed to the November general election. That happened last year; Brody won both.

Brody said she preferred the electoral process to applying through the Judicial Council and seeking appointment. “I’m taking my chances with the people every single time,” the former Rupert attorney said. “I ran my practice that way, and I’ll run my campaigns that way, too.”

Fourth District Judge Nancy Baskin, who served as the moderator for the panel discussion, asked the three when they thought there would be “enough” women on the Idaho Supreme Court, citing U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s famous comment that enough women on the U.S. high court would be nine – every seat, just as men had held every seat for so much of the nation’s history.

Brody said, “When it’s normal – when this isn’t a historic event.” Her comment drew applause. Both Trout and Silak agreed. “I don’t think it’s the numerical number that makes a difference,” Trout said. “It’s the fact that it’s routine.”

Baskin commented to applause, “I would say we need at least three, and I’d take all three of you at the same time.”

The Idaho Supreme Court has five justices.

Silak said when she first applied for the high court, Gov. Andrus had made it known that he wanted to appoint women to the court. “I advocate for our political leaders to take a page out of Gov. Andrus’ book and prioritize opportunity for women and minorities,” she said. “It’s important for judges to reflect society.”

On driving a Ford Pinto …

One of the biggest laughs of the evening came when Baskin teased Brody about having owned not just one, but two Ford Pintos. Brody said, “My father always told me that if we all drove Ford Pintos, the world would be a much humbler place.”

Disturbing "War Prize" Covered Up For 70 Years Is Finally Revealed!

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Guess which band had the biggest crowd at the Western Idaho Fair in 2017?

Does Boise love rock ‘n’ roll? Or around these parts, do ladies love country boys?

The Western Idaho Fair ended Sunday, which means it’s time for our annual breakdown of the free grandstand concerts.

Organizers usually split the shows between rock and country. (They’ve got us figured out, Idaho.) More often than not — at least in recent years — a country act is the biggest draw.

To estimate attendance, fair employees use a clicker counter. If a performance is full, when a few fans leave, a few more are allowed to enter.

Here are the numbers:

▪ On Tuesday, former “American Idol” winner Scott McCreery performed for about 6,100 country fans.

▪ On Wednesday, ’80s hitmakers Huey Lewis and the News proved the heart of rock ’n’ roll is still beatin’ with 12,200 concertgoers. “What a great show,” says Western Idaho Fair Director Bob Batista. “It’s one of the better shows I’ve seen.”

▪ Joan Jett & the Blackhearts braved wind and rain to perform for 6,700 fans on Thursday — a number that would have been bigger without good ol’ Idaho weather.

Thanks, @joanjett, for not giving up on Boise after the heavy rain threatened to rain on our parade. We love rock ‘n’ roll! Awesome show. pic.twitter.com/IfrNsyIjZV

— holly marie (@hmaboi) August 25, 2017

▪ But this year’s winner? Long-haired country boy Trace Adkins. The prospect of shakin’ their booties to “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk” lured 12,800 fans Friday. That’s not including the folks who hung out in the bleachers behind the stage listening to the music.

Trace Adkins sold the most beer, too. “Lots of beer!” Batista confirms.

Adkins isn’t the biggest draw in Western Idaho Fair history. Last year, for example, Josh Turner piled up 13,103 fans— on a Tuesday night.

Just for fun, here are attendance numbers for the prior four years. Acts are listed in their order of performance.

• • •

2016

Josh Turner – 13,103

Foreigner – 9,234

Sawyer Brown/LoCash – 6,157

Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo – 11,582

• • •

2015

Jerrod Niemann — 2,900

Theory of a Deadman — 4,200

Gary Allan — 8,900

Queensryche — 4,500

• • •

2014

Seether — 6,500

Montgomery Gentry — 8,200

Doobie Brothers — 9,800

Thompson Square — 7,900

• • •

2013

Los Cuates de Sinaloa — 2,500

Kutless — 4,000

Foreigner — 9,000

The Guess Who — 3,500

Brantley Gilbert — 9,000

Clay Walker — 6,500

• • •

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Murals are dedicated at Boise Library

Main Library Comic Con Mural (2017) by artist Adam Rosenlund. Photo courtesy of Boise Arts & History

The Boise City Department of Arts & History, in partnership with the Boise Public Library, unveiled and dedicated the Main Library Comic Con Mural public artwork designed by comic artist Adam Rosenlund on August 17.

In collaboration with Trademark Signs, the two framed vinyl banners, titled “Imaginauts,” were fastened to the Main Library exterior walls on the corner of Eighth & River streets. The murals celebrate the Boise Public Library Comic Con five-year anniversary and the public’s growing interest in graphic novels and comic books. Library Comic Con 2017 runs Aug. 26-27, and is free to attend.

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Boise State’s McNichols, moonwalking Doug Martin highlight ‘Hard Knocks’ premiere

The season debut of the HBO series “Hard Knocks” debuted Tuesday night, and the team in focus this year is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Coach Dirk Koetter has joked that “we got a little Boise State ‘Deep South’ working here.”

Boise State’s numerous ties in the premiere were on display. Naturally, Koetter was seen plenty, and while talking to quarterback Jameis Winston in his office, a Boise State helmet the team wore in the time he coached the Broncos (1998-2000), an Idaho State helmet and a Highland High helmet were seen. Koetter played at Idaho State, and played and coached at Highland in Pocatello.

Dirk Koetter has a script "Broncos" Boise State helmet, an Idaho State one and a Highland High one in his office. pic.twitter.com/CXD87BVtBA

— Dave Southorn (@davesouthorn) August 9, 2017

First among the rookies getting the spotlight wasn’t first-rounder O.J. Howard but fifth-rounder Jeremy McNichols, the former Boise State running back. Special teams coach Nate Kaczor told Koetter that McNichols “looked nice” working in the passing game.

“He started as a receiver at Boise State his first year, he was a wideout,” Koetter said.

McNichols is highlighted trying to catch up to the small details of the game, knowing the ins and outs of the Buccaneers’ calls. Coaches tell him to study hard so it becomes natural.

“I’m second-guessing myself sometimes,” McNichols says.

Later, McNichols is seen talking with one of his youth football coaches, the hip-hop superstar Snoop Dogg. He’s “Coach Snoop” in McNichols’ phone, but he calls him “Uncle Snoop.”

“All the things you learned in college are going to be super-sized, times two,” Snoop says.

“That’s real. At this level, it’s all mental, I learned that fast,” McNichols responds.

Snoop tells him, “Jeremy, you know I love you.”

McNichols got the spotlight in the first episode. Here he is talking with @SnoopDogg. pic.twitter.com/LnXCPToKCu

— Dave Southorn (@davesouthorn) August 9, 2017

Fellow rookie and former Boise State player Thomas Sperbeck was shown in the montage of players being cut early in training camp. Sperbeck was let go July 30 and was given an injury settlement because of a hamstring injury.

“You did nothing wrong, you can’t beat yourself up over that, because you can’t control it,” Koetter said.

Former Boise State running back Doug Martin, entering his seventh season with Tampa Bay, has made two Pro Bowl teams and rushed for 4,227 yards in his career. He will be suspended the first three games because of a PED violation, but he’s still No. 1 on the depth chart. That storyline is bound to be part of the series, but Martin stole the one scene he appeared in Tuesday for another reason.

As rookie cornerback Maurice Fleming was singing “Dancing Machine” by The Jackson 5 in front of the team, Martin jumped on stage and did Michael Jackson’s famous moonwalk.

Former Boise State cornerback Jonathan Moxey also plays for the Bucs.

When you’ve seen enough of the rookie talent so you steal the show @DougMartin22 @MFlemingxxiv#HardKnocks pic.twitter.com/qh4O7Hquq8

— NFL Films (@NFLFilms) August 9, 2017

Dirk Koetter has a script "Broncos" Boise State helmet, an Idaho State one and a Highland High one in his office. pic.twitter.com/CXD87BVtBA

— Dave Southorn (@davesouthorn) August 9, 2017
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