Wrasslin'alligators
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83 / 52 Twin Falls cancer patient fighting back with a little help from her friends Partly cloudy. SEE FAMILY LIFE 1 Business 8 STAMPEDE! >>> PRCA event concludes at the Twin Falls County Fair in Filer, SPORTS 1 SUNDAY $1.50 September 6, 2009 MagicValley.com “Do bicyclists ... demand more bike paths or does the city get bike paths out Parents, there and then we’ll get more bicyclists out there?” —Dennis Bowyer, T.F. Parks and Recreation director kids face choice on Obama’s speech By Ben Botkin Times-News writer To watch, or not to watch, that is the ques- tion. In one of the reddest states in the union, area school districts face a choice this Tuesday as President Obama gives a live “back to school” speech to challenge the nation’s children in their education endeavors. While districts vary slightly in their approach, this much is the same: No youngsters will be forced to watch their command- SHARING THE ROAD? er-in-chief’s 15- to 20- minute speech if their parents have a problem Lacking trails and facing with that. At the same time, schools aren’t all uni- safety concerns, area bicyclists formly planning to air the speech in every classroom find progress slow going and auditorium. Obama’s speech has captured attention and By Jared S. Hopkins political controversy,with Times-News writer Republicans criticizing The midday traffic in Twin Falls on Washington Street North See OBAMA, Main 2 rumbled past 21-year-old Bostin Thacker as he pedaled his bicycle toward the College of Southern Idaho. Part of his route to class includes a weathered dirt trail a few feet off one of the busiest roads ON THE WEB in town. If you miss the speech, you It’s a well-worn sign that Thacker isn’t the only cyclist forced to can watch it online at improvise when a paved road ends in Twin Falls. www.whitehouse.gov “There’s not always sidewalks,” said Thacker, who bicycles to Photos by MEAGAN THOMPSON/Times-News school and work every day. ABOVE: The sign on the memorial built to a bicyclist reads ‘In memory of David Webster, Struck “Sometimes there’s just dirt paths and you get a lot of flat tires.” INSIDE Down June 25, 2009’.The memorial is located along Falls Avenue East several miles past the Until Washington Street is widened to five lanes with a detached Obama's message is spot where a bike lane to Shoshone Falls ends. Webster died after a car hit him while he was rid- bike lane, it’s a trek he’ll have to keep following. And even after the responsibility — for parents project is complete, Twin Falls’ bicycle options will be few and far ing his bicycle. as well as students. between for a city of more than 40,000 inhabitants. See Business 5 TOP: A bicyclist rides against the flow of traffic Thursday evening along Washington Street in A growing demand for bike paths is seen elsewhere in Magic Twin Falls. This busy street in Twin Falls is well used by motorists and bicyclists alike. The latter Valley, yet local governments have been slow to respond as their must use makeshift dirt paths or sidewalks to get out of the way of vehicles traveling 35 mph. planned bike paths sit idle due to a lack of movement or funding. Concerns for safety have also increased. Magic Valley has seen three bicycle-related deaths during the past 14 months — including Ag industry two in Twin Falls — as the Magic Valley has joined an even larger statewide debate on cyclist safety. defends BIKING IN THE BIG CITY Currently,there are three official bike paths in Twin Falls, built in itself over the late-1990s with the assistance of federal funding: one begins on Locust Street and heads to Shoshone Falls; on the west side of town, one starts at Sparks Street, loops near Shoup Avenue and grisly ends at Harrison Elementary School; and one on Washington Street South runs past Oregon Trail Elementary School. chick video Despite those trails, Twin Falls is not bicyclist friendly. “If it was really a bicyclists’ town you’d probably see more bike By Nigel Duara paths,”said Parks and Recreation Director Dennis Bowyer. “But do Associated Press writer bicyclists, do they demand more bike paths or does the city get bike paths out there and then we’ll get more bicyclists out there?” IOWA CITY, Iowa — In recent years, the city has focused on the Snake River Canyon Paul Lasley cringed when Rim, and there’s no funding for bike paths sought at the state or he heard about an under- federal level, Bowyer said. cover video showing unwanted chicks being Graffiti obscures a bicycle path sign near Shoshone Falls in Twin Falls. See BIKES, Main 4 tossed alive into a grinder at an Iowa hatchery. The images were upsetting, to be sure, but as someone who grew up Dave on a farm, Lasley knows Castillo that bringing meat and poultry to America’s din- Wrasslin’ alligators wrestles a ner table is often a grisly 200-pound business. T.F. County Fair show attracts a large crowd alligator “When our parents during the made the decision to send By Laurie Welch wide-eyed children who were gathered in Kachunga this cow or pig or lamb to Times-News writer front of the stage pressed as close as they Alligator market, it was a sad day,’’ dared. Show he recalled. “But it would FILER — It’s not an uncommon sight to “What are you going to do if you find a big be sadder if we couldn’t Saturday at see all types of animals wrangled at a coun- gator in your back yard?” said Castillo’s make the payment on the ty fair, but when David Castillo started partner and big brother, Gil Castillo. “You the Twin farm.’’ splashing around in a pool Saturday with an sneak up and grab it by the tail and drag it to Falls Lasley, a sociologist at 8-foot long, 200-pound reptile at the Twin your neighbor’s yard.” County Fair Iowa State University who Falls County Fair, the audience quickly David Castillo deftly demonstrated the in Filer. specializes in rural issues, became standing room only. feat by snatching the leathery alligator’s tail, and others argue that As Castillo, whose stage name is which flashed its 80 teeth, some up to an DREW most Americans in this GODLESKI/ Kachunga, splashed and circled and lunged For the Times- for a hold on the alligator, several dozen See GATORS, Main 3 News See GRISLY, Main 2 Crossword ..............Classifieds 7 Kids Only ................Family Life 6 Obituaries..................Business 6 Dear Abby ..............Classifieds 4 Jumble....................Classifieds 3 Sudoku ..................Classifieds 5 MORTGAGE GIANTS STILL STRUGGLING Horoscope..............Classifieds 4 Movies..........................Opinion 7 Your Business ..........Business 2 Taking a look one year later > Business 1 MORNINGMORNINGMain 2 Sunday, September 6, 2009 BRIEFINGBRIEF- Times-News, Twin Falls, Idaho Pat’s Picks Three things to do today P HOTOGRAPHIC MEMORY Pat Marcantonio • Enjoy art and antiques Day Shootout and Parade at the Ketchum Art and starts at 12:30 p.m., with Antique Show from 9 a.m. parade at 1 p.m., followed to 5 p.m. at nexStage by music, food, antiques Theatre, 120 S. Main St., and crafts at the park. Ketchum. There’s also the • Texas-based Reckless Wagon Days Antique Show Kelly performs at 8 p.m. at from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Twin Falls County Fair Forest Service Park; in Shouse Arena in Filer. Hailey’s Antique Market Tickets start at $13. from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Roberta McKercher and Have your own pick Hailey’s Main Street you want to share? Antique and Art Show Something that is unique from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at to the area and that may Photo courtesy Twin Falls Public Library ASHLEY SMITH/Times-News 730 N. Main St. take people by surprise? Up until 1952, the Department of Health was located on Third Avenue East in Twin Falls. When City Hall was built, the department moved in. • For more of the Old E-mail me at patm@mag- During its years there, several people headed the department, including Hubert Post, Margaret Pickard and Luther Thompson. The two West, the Bellevue Labor icvalley.com. longest-serving directors were Keith Harvey, who served from 1957-67, and James R. Ingalls, who took over in 1971. In 1974, the Department of Health once again had its own offices, this time on Second Street East. TODAY’S HAPPENINGS ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT Body of missing Gooding man found Music from Stanley concert series, features Idaho musicians Bill Times-News Preliminary reports they went searching for there about as long as he’d Coffey and friends, 4 to 8 p.m., Redfish Lake Lodge, Stanley, no cost, indicate that Chester King, him Saturday afternoon, been missing,” Walker 208-484-9117 or [email protected]. The body of a Gooding 29, likely died from a self- was found a little before said. man who had been report- inflicted gunshot wound to 4 p.m. not far from where King was last seen by BENEFITS AND FUNDRAISERS ed missing since Sunday the head, according to his pickup was parked in family members on Great Wagon Days Duck Race fundraiser, includes party with music was found Saturday after- Twin Falls County the desert near 878 E. 4500 Sunday, and later was and children’s activities, 1 to 4 p.m., Rotary Park; and release of 1000 noon in western Twin Falls Undersheriff Sam Walker.