Filer Husband and Wife Bond Through Flight for Pap Smears and Birth Control
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42 / 33 MORE CHEESE Simplify your Jerome Cheese to begin making mozzarella; plan calls for hiring life with closet 1-3 20 more employees Agribusiness 1 organization Some sun. Home & Garden Main 8 TIMES-NEWS CURSE? >>> Local athletes face possible jinx, SPORTS 1 TUESDAY 75 CENTS November 9, 2010 TIMES-NEWS Magicvalley.com The Wellness couple clinic who defy struggles gravity with funding Patient load grows By Amy Huddleston Times-News writer It’s time to reorganize. From about 1,200 patients in 2004, the year it opened, the Mustard Tree Wellness Clinic has already seen 3,500 pass through its doors this year. The patient load has grown sig- nificantly.But the clinic’s funding has dwindled quickly — so much so that a Wednesday night women’s clinic was officially ended last week, and clinic expenses are frozen until grants come through in January. Funded solely by private dona- tions and grants, the faith-based, volunteer-run clinic offers free services to patients who are at or below the poverty level. “We are a short-term, acute care clinic,” said Jonie Benson, Mustard Tree administrator. “That’s where we got in trouble. We started doing more long-term care and didn’t have the money for short-term.” Now, the clinic is reorganizing itself to focus again on short-term care, and so it doesn’t duplicate ASHLEY SMITH/Times-News services offered through other Rex and Kathy LaGrone sit in front of one of the airplanes owned by the Twin Falls Flyers on Friday at the Twin Falls airport. The couple joined the club in 1994 and flew health care providers in the area. this Cessna 182 until they bought their own plane in March. Rex, who is disabled, uses an adaptive hand control to fly the airplane. Benson said the clinic will start referring the 25 to 30 women who seek assistance every week to the South Central Public Health District or Family Health Services Filer husband and wife bond through flight for pap smears and birth control. The latter is a nonprofit that By Amy Huddleston “I started flying and I just fell in love with it. success of their marriage. Flying focuses on providing health care Times-News writer has become a unique part of their for Medicaid patients, the unin- It really boosted my self-confidence and it brought relationship, testing them, sured and other underserved Rex LaGrone has always want- encouraging them and bonding groups. ed to fly airplanes. me so much joy. When I first started flying — them together. They recently Cheryl Becker, director of fam- But it was his wife, Kathy, who it was just so cool!” bought their own plane, a Cessna ily and children’s health at the learned how to navigate the 182 that was dubbed “the health district, said hers is a very winds first — paving the way for — Kathy LaGrone Cardinal.” small operation that doesn’t have the tall man in the wheelchair to “I started flying and I just fell a full-time provider on staff. get his pilot’s license in 1996. Rex, who works in the IT ships in the Twin Falls Flyers. in love with it,” said Kathy, a “We will see what we can do in Their flying adventures have department for St. Luke’s Magic The club has three airplanes that music teacher at Popplewell our clinic here,” Becker said. “I allowed them to explore the Valley Medical Center, has can be used by all members. Elementary School in Buhl. “It don’t think we could see 25 more a backcountry of Idaho, chase a always dreamed about flying and “It’s a pretty tight-knit group. really boosted my self-confi- week though.” sunrise on the way to eat break- took lessons before “school got They’ll do anything for you,” dence and it brought me so much Family Health Services has fast in Smiley Creek, and take in the way.” Kathy said. joy. When I first started flying — recently added providers and can quick trips to Los Angeles, South He thought it would be best if The couple, who live north of it was just so cool!” accommodate more patients, Dakota and Denver. Kathy was initially integrated Filer, met after Rex broke his Rex uses a retractable hand according to a letter written by “It frees us to travel to places into the flying community so he neck in a car accident in 1981 and control to operate the airplane. the Mustard Tree’s board of we probably wouldn’t be able to would have more support while have been married for almost 26 The device, approved by the directors. A call for further go,” Kathy said. “You get to see taking his lessons. years. Federal Aviation Administration, comment Monday afternoon to the light on the mountains in the Kathy got her license in 1994 They attribute faith, hard morning — it’s an escape for us.” and they both bought member- work and commitment to the See FLYING, Main 3 See CLINIC, Main 2 Sawtooth Forest gets new supervisor Twin Falls council but this won’t be her forest supervisor. Fors- Nourse has Idaho ties first foray into Idaho; gren had then projected By Laura Lundquist she worked as deputy the supervisor search OKs bike ordinance Times-News writer area ranger for the would be over in July, but Sawtooth National it took an additional three By Nick Coltrain After an eight-month search, Recreation Area from months. Times-News writer the U.S. Forest Service has hired a 1999 through 2001. Julie Thomas, spokes- supervisor for the Sawtooth “I’ve often looked woman for the Sawtooth Bicyclists and motorists, get National Forest. back fondly on the forest, said 16 candidates ready: rear lights and three-foot On Oct. 26, Intermountain memories of my previ- applied. Sometimes it passing distances are now a must in Regional Forester Harv Forsgren ous assignment on the Nourse takes time to find the the city of Twin Falls. announced that Rebecca Nourse, Sawtooth NRA,”Nourse right candidate, she said, After going through a new bicy- Tongass National Forest deputy said in a press release. “So now and the day-to-day management cling ordinance section by section, supervisor, will soon migrate I’m looking forward to renewing of such a varied forest as the the Twin Falls City Council voted south to fill the Idaho position old connections and friendships, Sawtooth can be challenging. 6-0 to pass an ordinance that came after serving the past eight years in as well as building new ones “We have everything from from recommendations by a Parks Alaska. across the forest and the commu- the Minidoka area, with its and Recreation subcommittee, Nourse will take over manage- nities we serve.” grazing issues, to a national though without the original meas- ment of the 2.1 million acres of The previous forest supervisor, recreation area, so there is a ure to make helmets mandatory. national forest land in south-cen- Jane Kollmeyer, retired in March. huge array of public concerns,” Only Councilman and state Sen.- Times-News file photo tral Idaho on Dec. 16. Terry Clark, who also did a stint Thomas said. “Becky has been elect Lee Heider was absent. A worn symbol on the asphalt signi- Nourse has spent most of her as deputy area ranger in the here before and she knows the career in Washington and Alaska, SNRA, has since served as acting issues.” See BICYCLE, Main 2 fies a bicycle route near Twin Falls. Bridge ..............Classifieds 8 Crossword ......Classifieds 6 Obituaries..................Main 4 Comics....................Sports 4 Dear Abby........Classifieds 6 Opinion ..................Main 6-7 AGREEING TO TERMS Commodities ..Agribusiness 2 Jumble ............Classifieds 7 Sudoku ............Classifieds 5 Xavier board, Fulcher agree on panel > Main 3 Main 2 Tuesday, November 9, 2010 MORNING MIX TN Times-News, Twin Falls, Idaho TODAY’S HAPPENINGS ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT URA to demolish building Let’s Dance Club, 6 to 10 p.m., Twin Falls Senior Center, 530 Shoshone St. W., $3, free for children younger than 14 with an adult, 410-5650 or galenslatter.com. No plans for lot MVAF fourth annual Christmas Wine Tasting and Silent Auction, fine wines with signature appetizers, 5:30 p.m., Rock Creek bought as part of Restaurant, 200 Addison Ave. W., Twin Falls, features silent auc- tion, $25, to benefit the College of Southern Idaho marketing four-block project scholarship, 736-0823. “The Nerd” comedy play, presented by the Oakley Valley Arts By Nick Coltrain Council, 7:30 p.m., Howells Opera House, 160 N. Blaine Ave., Times-News writer Oakley, $8, 677-2787. Festival of Trees Designer Decor Evening, learn how the experts The former Reds Trading decorate for Thanksgiving and Christmas, 6:30 p.m., The Art of Post building on Shoshone Inspired Living, 125 Main Ave. W., Twin Falls, $20, 737-2480. Street is going down, and a question mark is taking its BENEFITS AND FUNDRAISERS place. Twin Falls Community Blood Drive, donate blood and enter to win The Twin Falls Urban BSU Broncos tickets, noon to 6 p.m., Ascension Episcopal Church, Renewal Agency board on 471 Eastland Drive, no cost, 734-4566 for appointment. Monday unanimously approved a $20,000 demo- HOBBIES AND CRAFTS lition of the building. The demolition will be handled Home School Art Club, visual arts program for home-schooled chil- by PMF Inc. of Twin Falls dren ages 6-8, 2 to 3 p.m., Twin Falls Creative Arts Center, 249 and should be completed in Main Ave. W., $45 per month, 737-9111.