The FBI Citizens Academy is a stimulating six- to eight-week program that gives business, religious, civic, and community leaders an inside look at the FBI. During the academy, students gain insight into the structure and operation of FBI field offices and resident agencies and learn the services the FBI provides to local and state law enforcement agencies. It is the goal of the FBI Citizens Academy to foster a greater understanding of the role of federal law enforcement in the community through frank discussion and education.
The next FBI Salt Lake City Citizens Academy class will be hosted by the Boise Resident Agency on April 19-21, 2023 and April 26-29, 2023.
Nominations for the 2023 class may be submitted by past and/or present FBI employees, Citizens Academy graduates, or any individual wishing to nominate themselves. Individuals nominated must be in good standing in the community.
Candidates must meet the following criteria:

• Be a recognized business, religious, or community leader
• Live and/or work within the division's jurisdiction
• Be at least 21 years old
• Consent to a limited background investigation, to include fingerprint checks
• Agree to attend all sessions, with no more than two excused absences

To nominate a candidate or self-nominate, please complete the nomination form and provide a narrative stating the reasons for nomination. If you plan to nominate more than one candidate, please provide one form per nominee. Please note: The selection process is competitive, and not all nominees will be selected.

Selections of the final candidates for the 2023 class are to be determined by the field office.
At the conclusion of the program, graduates are encouraged to join their local FBI Citizens Academy Alumni Chapter for the purpose of strengthening relationships and improving understanding between the FBI and the community. Graduates, while not official spokespersons for the FBI, may be called upon to share their understanding of the role of federal law enforcement, specifically the FBI.

The deadline for nomination form submissions is February 8, 2023.

Did you know that over 80% of Americans live under light polluted skies? Light pollution is increasing more than 6% per year in our larger cities. What is lost when we lose sight of the stars and disrupt the natural cycle of light and dark in our communities? Excessive and inappropriate lighting threatens our night sky heritage, disrupts our sleep patterns, endangers nocturnal habitats, wastes energy, and more.

You are invited to attend a free public screening of the film Saving the Dark on February 3, 2023 at 7:30 PM in BSU’s Education Building, Room 112 at 2133 W Cesar Chavez Lane. The event is hosted by Boise State University Physics Department, the Idaho Dark Sky Alliance, and the Oregon Outback Dark Sky Network. Saving the Dark is a beautiful and informative documentary film by film-maker Sriram Murali that explores the need to preserve night skies and ways to combat light pollution. Following the film there will be a short Q & A with a panel of regional experts to address dark sky topics related to local government, tourism, environmental, outdoor lighting and astronomy communities. The evening will close with a weather-dependent sidewalk stargazing event.

There are many environmental issues that affect our region where solutions are hard to come by. However, light pollution is one of the easiest environmental and health challenges to address through individual and community-based solutions. More awareness and effective leadership are the keys to help protect our remaining dark skies.

Working together we can reduce light pollution in our region. We hope to see you on February 3!

Bogus Basin announced today that 1,200 students will compete in the 2023 School Race Program. This marks the 64th year for the program, which begins Saturday, January 14 at the non-profit recreation area. Students representing 42 middle schools and 37 high schools from across the Treasure Valley will participate in fun and friendly ski and snowboard competitions over the next six weekends.
“We are looking forward to a great season and to increasing the number of students who participate in the races. Bogus Basin is excited to make the School Race Program’s 64th year a success.”
– John Foley, Coordinator, Bogus Basin School Race Program
Over the years, Bogus Basin has expanded the program to include downhill, freestyle and Nordic events for athletes of all levels; many students compete in multiple events. Participants are eligible for lift ticket and rental equipment discounts, and additional financial assistance is available for those who qualify. The program relies upon the support of over 150 volunteer advisors, most are school teachers who promote it at their schools and spend their Saturdays assisting with the races and other events, including the Snow Dance Party, and St. Luke’s helmet decorating contest.
Races are scheduled Saturdays in Bogus Basin’s Bitterroot Basin from January 14 through February 18. Students who participate in three or more races will be eligible to compete in the annual Dottie Clark Memorial Races, February 23 and 24.

Grant will support the organization’s Food Service Training and Job Placement program to provide assistance for Idaho adults with employment barriers

BOISE, ID — January 10, 2023 —KeyBank has awarded a $150,000 grant to Create Common Good (CCG), a non-profit organization that prepares at-risk adults in Idaho to be successful in food service careers. The KeyBank grant will allow Create Common Good to expand its ServSafe Training career-prep program to include certification and job placement assistance for inmates upon release. 
Since 2008, Create Common Good has worked with Idaho populations facing economic hardships, helping bridge the gap between those with a desire to work and the community’s employment needs. The ServSafe Training program provides food service career training for Idaho Department of Corrections inmates to gain the confidence and skills needed for future employment.
“Create Common Good’s work, through programs like the ServSafe job training program, offers the confidence and training so desperately needed for our incarcerated populations to gain sustainable employment, escape poverty and hopefully reduce recidivism,” said Scott Schlange, president of KeyBank Idaho. “KeyBank is proud to support this valuable and much-needed community initiative, and we look forward to the program’s expansion.”
“The generous support of KeyBank Foundation will allow CCG to expand our Food Service training program to incarcerated individuals within Idaho’s correctional facilities,” said Cyn Dalton, CEO of Create Common Good. “It is our aim to reduce recidivism by assisting them with skill acquisition and job placement.”
Food created through the ServSafe Training program may also be distributed to Opportunity Zone, a program that serves food insecure families and children.

About Create Common Good
Create Common Good (CCG) has been training adults with barriers to employment for thirteen years: refugees, the nonchronic homeless, those with substance abuse or non-violent criminal histories, and/or mental health concerns. Our two-tiered program is eight weeks but can be extended for individual needs. Trainees learn proper food protocols including temperature control, sanitation, storage, and allergens. During the 150+ hours of classroom and kitchen instruction, the trainees also are evaluated and mentored in job soft skills: following instructions, teamwork, attendance, time management, resume building, mock interviews and peer interaction. Upon graduation, CCG will assist with applying for and securing employment.

About KeyCorp
KeyCorp's roots trace back nearly 200 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation's largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $190.1 billion at September 30, 2022. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 1,000 branches and approximately 1,300 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications, and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank is Member FDIC.  

The Valley Regional Transit (VRT) Board of Directors voted Monday to hire Elaine Clegg as the agency’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Clegg will start February 13 and is replacing executive director Kelli Badesheim, who is retiring after 22 years leading the Treasure Valley’s regional public transportation authority.

“The VRT Board of Directors voted unanimously to approve Elaine as the next CEO because we recognize her visionary mindset, passion for public transportation, knack for coalition-building, and deep ties to the community,” said Kuna Mayor and Chair of the VRT Board of Directors, Joe Stear. “These are critical attributes for VRT’s leader as we work to enhance public transit in a rapidly-growing region, and I look forward to working with her.”

Clegg is currently the President of the Boise City Council and its longest-serving member. In that capacity, she has held various leadership positions on the VRT Board of Directors and Executive Board. She is also a Program Manager at Idaho Smart Growth, where she has served as Executive Director, and serves on the boards of the Community Planning Association of Southwest Idaho (COMPASS) and the National League of Cities. She has long been an advocate for public transportation and has led efforts to restore passenger rail service to the Treasure Valley.

“I believe deeply in the power of safe and effective transportation options, and I am excited to work on creating strong support for the VRT vision,” Clegg said. “There is an urgency to improving access to transit services, especially at this pivotal moment in the region’s development. I think we can get people in the valley excited about transit and the need for new and increased transit funding that will expand the possibilities and improve quality of life for the entire region.”

“I am grateful to the Board of Directors for their approval. I am indebted to Kelli and the VRT staff for their great work in establishing a high functioning organization” she added. “I am eager to get to work.”
The VRT Executive Board, a standing committee of the VRT Board of Directors, began the CEO search in May after Executive Director Kelli Badesheim announced her intention to step down. The Executive Board worked with Affion Public to conduct a national executive search, which provided a diverse applicant pool with experience in the transportation and public sectors.

After a comprehensive process that included multiple rounds of interviews and input from stakeholder and community panels, the Executive Board recommended Clegg to the VRT Board of Directors for final approval. Clegg, a member of the Executive Board, recused herself from the search process. The VRT Board formally approved the appointment by unanimous vote at Monday’s Board of Directors meeting.

“We interviewed many great candidates for this position,” said Nampa Mayor Debbie Kling, immediate past Chair of the VRT Board of Directors and Executive Board during the search. “We heard important voices from our community and stakeholders, and it was clear that Elaine is the right person for the job.”

“We also recognize that Elaine will start from a very solid foundation,” Kling added. “Kelli Badesheim has been a great steward of VRT’s mission, and we are so grateful for her dedication throughout her impressive career.”

Badesheim started her transit career in 1994 at Boise Urban Stages, a precursor agency to VRT that provided transportation within the City of Boise. In 2005, she oversaw the transition from a collection of local services into a regional transit system. VRT has experienced substantial growth under Badesheim’s leadership, including the development of VRT’s current transit system and facilities, launch of innovative and specialized transportation services, stewardship of education and outreach programs, adoption of new technology, coordination of community partnerships, and adoption of the agency’s ValleyConnect 2.0 plan, which charts the future for transit in the region.
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“I feel incredibly honored to have had the opportunity to work in this space for so long,” Badesheim said. “When it comes down to it, public transportation is all about people – connecting people to places and providing the freedom for people to move around the region. It has been our hope at VRT that we help create a better community for everyone, and I am proud of the work we have done to shape the region. I look forward to watching VRT continue to grow into the regional authority we have envisioned.”
Learn more about Kelli’s work here.