Blog | Boise Metro Chamber

Business, religious, or community leaders: Join the FBI Citizens Academy in Boise in April!

1/26/2023

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.

Saving the Dark

1/23/2023

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 Launches 2023 School Race Program

1/13/2023

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.

KEYBANK MAKES $150,000 GRANT IN SUPPORT OF CREATE COMMON GOOD’S JOB SKILLS TRAINING PROGRAM

1/11/2023

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.

Boise Art Museum Announces New Exhibition: "The Art of Jean LaMarr"

1/11/2023

Jean LaMarr’s colorful and seductive, yet hard hitting satirical artworks challenging long held cultural stereotypes and preconceptions about Native American people and cultures will be on view at the Boise Art Museum beginning January 28, 2023, through mid-June 2023.

Boise, ID – Jean LaMarr is an internationally recognized artist, educator, and Native American advocate with ancestral ties to Pyramid Lake, Nevada, and Susanville, California. For decades, her work has sparked powerful and important conversations about cultural stereotypes, representations of Native women, legacies of colonization, and environmental justice. Featuring paintings, prints, and sculptures spanning from the 1970s to the present, The Art of Jean LaMarr honors this important artist and introduces new audiences to her work. The exhibition, accompanied by the publication of a 200-page hardcover book, will be on view at the Boise Art Museum from January 28 through June 11, 2023.

Jean LaMarr (born 1945) is descended from wadatkuta numa (Northern Paiute) and Illmowi, Aporige, and Atsugewi (Pit River) ancestry, with strong family ties to Northern Nevada and Northern California. She was born and raised in Susanville, California, and is an enrolled member of the Susanville Indian Rancheria where she still lives. In 1964, LaMarr relocated to San Jose, California, as part of the Indian Relocation Act. In 1976 she graduated from UC Berkeley, where she became involved in activist politics and participated in protests including the American Indian Occupation of Alcatraz (1969) and the Pit River Occupation in Shasta County (1970). LaMarr founded the Native American Graphic Workshop in Susanville in 1994 to help engage Native American youth and community members in artmaking.

LaMarr largely built her artistic reputation as a skilled printmaker while teaching and practicing as an artist in the San Francisco Bay Area in the 1970s and 80s. She went on to teach at the Institute of American Indian Art in Santa Fe for many years before returning to Susanville. For nearly a decade, LaMarr designed the popular Bear Dance posters for the annual Maidu gathering held in the mountain community of Janesville, California, just an hour north of Reno, Nevada. Many of LaMarr’s screenprints feature bold graphics and bright colors that communicate a direct message to viewers.

My art is a “rejection of the idea of the vanished American Indian,” LaMarr says, explaining that contemporary Native American people are a vibrant and living culture.

While her paintings, prints, and installations celebrate and honor ancestors and cultural traditions, they also confront racist stereotypes of Native American people, such as those perpetuated by Henry Wadswoth Longfellow in his epic 1855 poem Song of Hiawatha, or Slim Whitman’s popular 1924 song Indian Love Call.

In her Cover Girl series and in many other artworks, LaMarr has worked tirelessly to reclaim the dignity of Native American women, whose bodies were often exploited by early twentieth century non-Native anthropologists and photographers and later appropriated for use on consumer product packaging. Another strand of LaMarr’s work tackles legacies of colonialism, including the impacts of ongoing environmental threats to tribal communities in the American West.

“Jean LaMarr speaks from a place of fierce pride in her indigeneity, and a willingness to challenge the erasure and structural racism that Indigenous Peoples face in their lives. Her work has that razor-sharp political commentary, yet can transmit the softness and beauty of our cultures, particularly of Indigenous women,” comments Debra Harry, Associate Professor of Indigenous Studies, Gender, Race, and Identity Department, at the University of Nevada, Reno.

This exhibition was organized by the Nevada Museum of Art in Reno, Nevada.

In conjunction with this exhibition, the Nevada Museum of Art published a hardcover book, including an essay by Ann M. Wolfe, Andrea and John C. Deane Family Chief Curator and Associate Director at the Nevada Museum of Art, with contributions from Allan L. Edmunds, Mary Lee Fulkerson, Debra Harry, Ph.D., Archana Hortsing, Lucy Lippard, Judith Lowry, Susan Lobo, Ph.D., Malcolm Margolin, Raymond Patlan, Jan Rindfleisch, and Peter Selz, Ph.D. The exhibition will be accompanied by a short video about LaMarr produced and directed by Tsanavi Spoonhunter, a descendant of the Northern Paiute, Lakota and Northern Arapaho nations. Spoonhunter just completed her master’s degree from the Graduate School of Journalism at the University of California, Berkeley with a focus in documentary filmmaking.

“The Nevada Museum of Art is proud to present this major exhibition of work by Jean LaMarr, who has been a respected artist involved in the Great Basin arts community for decades,” says Ann M. Wolfe, curator of the exhibition. “While Jean lives and works in the relatively secluded rural community of Susanville, she has exhibited her work widely and is highly regarded by scholars, curators, and artists around the world.”

The exhibition is sponsored by | Sponsors: Carole K. Anderson, The Nevada Arts Council, Kristi Overgaard, Sandy Raffealli - Bill Pearce Motors, The Phil and Jennifer Satre Family Fund at the Community Foundation of Western Nevada | Supporting Sponsors: Kathie Bartlett | Additional Support: In memory of Bernadette Kaye, sharing her culture, Nevada Humanities

This exhibition at the Boise Art Museum has been made possible in part by a grant from the Idaho Humanities Council, the state-based affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this exhibition do not necessarily represent those of the Idaho Humanities Council or the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Samples from "The Art of Jean LaMarr" Exhibition

"Some Kind of Buckaroo"

"Sun Kiss"

"Vuarneted Indian Cowboy"

"Going Back to the Rez"

Valley Regional Transit approves new CEO

1/9/2023

Elaine Clegg

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.

“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.

Bogus Basin announces new 21+ social space on third floor of Pioneer Lodge

1/4/2023

Bogus Basin announced a newly designed gathering space, The High Peak Hangout, located on the third floor of its Pioneer Lodge.
The non-profit recently signed a multi-year sponsorship agreement with local brewery Western Collective to present its winter and summer music series. The two organizations collaborated on the design of The High Peak Hangout, creating a comfortable, welcoming venue for guests 21 years and older*.
Bogus Basin and Western Collective share an interest in creating social spaces for all community members to enjoy. The High Peak Hangout is a unique new place where our guests can relax, enjoy good food and beverages, and appreciate Bogus Basin’s spectacular views.
Austin Smith, Director of Innovation & Marketing, Bogus BasinSunset Sessions, presented by Western Collective, will run Saturdays, January 28th through March 25th, 6:00 – 9:00 pm, at The High Peak Hangout. DJ sets will feature upbeat, energetic music ranging from hip-hop classics to energetic dance music.
Design work on The High Peak Hangout is complete and the space is ready for guests to enjoy went eh 3rd floor is open. Full food and beverage service is available at Pioneer Lodge including, La Cumbre Taqueria, a new Mexican style restaurant located on the 3rd floor.
*The High Peak Hangout is 21+ when La Cumbre Taqueria is open, but open to all ages at all other times the 3rd floor is open

SERVPRO Set to Kick Off Fifth First Responder Bowl

12/19/2022

Hometown heroes are the focus of annual college bowl game set for Dec. 27

Boise, ID - In recognition of the service and sacrifice of thousands of first responders nationwide, SERVPRO will host the fifth annual SERVPRO First Responder Bowl at SMU's Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas, Texas. The University of Memphis Tigers will face off against the Utah State University Aggies. Kickoff is set for December 27, 2022, at 3:15 Eastern Standard Time on ESPN.

"This game shines a spotlight on hometown heroes across the country," said Christian Isaacson, a disaster restoration specialist with SERVPRO of Boise. "We are proud to be part of a company that honors all first responders for willingly putting the welfare of others ahead of their own personal safety."

Nationwide, SERVPRO franchises, including Boise, were asked to submit the name of a first responder from their hometown to be considered for special recognition at the game. This year, SERVPRO is honoring Cpl. Phillip Zonn and POFC. Geobani Guerra of the Prince George's County (Maryland) Police Department. Zonn and Guerra were both separately traveling home from their shift when they approached a vehicle that had been involved in an accident. The two officers bravely worked to cut the unconscious and injured driver free from the burning vehicle before it was engulfed in flames.

The First Responder Bowl caps off a year of significant support from SERVPRO for first responder communities across the country. Following Hurricane Ian, SERVPRO, in partnership with First Responders Children's Foundation (FRCF), a nonprofit organization that aids the children and families of first responders, provided $150,000 in financial grants to 80 first responders affected by the storm. (https://1strcf.org/ian/). In addition, SERVPRO performed, at no charge, mitigation services to begin restoring the homes of ten first responders affected by Ian.

SERVPRO is also celebrating community and individual participation in the game. First responders nationwide will enjoy the game with first responder tailgate boxes, filled with tailgate goodies, purchased by their local SERVPRO franchisee and delivered to their local fire stations and public safety offices in time for the game. Fans in the Boise area can show their support for first responders by taking and posting a selfie with the hashtag #MySelfieGives while watching the game in person or on TV. SERVPRO will donate $100, up to $25,000, to the FRCF for each selfie posted during the game.

Tickets for the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl are available now at https://www.firstresponderbowl.com/ticket-op. First responders are eligible for up to four complimentary tickets to the game. SERVPRO, as a presenting sponsor, also honors first responders at 12 additional bowl games, including the Armed Forces Bowl and the Frisco Bowl, with the "Honor a Responder" award.

SERVPRO specializes in disaster cleaning, restoration, and construction services, helping to remediate damage, making it "Like it never even happened," for both commercial and residential customers. For more information on SERVPRO of Boise, please contact Christian Isaacson at (208) 375-0300 or Cisaacson@servproboise.com. For more information about SERVPRO, please visit www.servpro.com.

About SERVPRO
For more than 50 years, SERVPRO has been a trusted leader in fire and water cleanup and restoration services, construction, mold mitigation, biohazard and pathogen remediation. SERVPRO's professional services network of more than 2,000 individually owned and operated franchises spans the United States and Canada, responding to property damage emergencies large and small – from million-square-foot commercial facilities to individual homes. When disaster strikes, homeowners, business owners and major insurance companies alike rely on SERVPRO to make it "Like it never even happened."

Sun Valley Culinary Institute to hold recruiting event at Anthony’s at Boise Monday, December 19, 4-6 p.m.

12/7/2022

If you are considering pursuing a culinary arts career, the Sun Valley Culinary Institute (SVCI) would like to meet you. After graduating its first class of students with much success, SVCI is excited to offer its one-year Professional Program to more Idahoans and others thinking about a career path in the culinary arts. Enrollment is now open.

Join Sun Valley Culinary Institute’s Executive Director Karl Uri and Chef Instructor Joseph Tocci for complimentary appetizers and refreshments at Anthony’s at Boise on 959 W. Front Street on Monday, December 19, from 4 to 6 p.m. to learn more about SVCI’s one-year Professional Program. In addition, Uri and Tocci can answer questions concerning the program, coursework, tuition, and all it entails to enroll in the program, including professional externships available in Sun Valley, Idaho.

Beyond the kitchen classroom, students can meet visiting chefs and prepare food for the dedicated patronage of residents and visitors. The Institute’s Ketchum, Main Street location makes it accessible and a desirable place to pursue a culinary arts dream, with real-life opportunities at the Sun Valley Resort and the many award-winning restaurants in the Wood River Valley that all support SVCI’s mission and programs with great enthusiasm.

“We want to spread the word about the Sun Valley Culinary Institute and foster talent and grow an awareness for the culinary arts in south-central Idaho,” said Executive Director Karl Uri. “Do stop by no matter your level of interest to learn more about SVCI and the many things that happen beyond our teaching kitchen—it’s exciting.”

Although SVCI is not an accredited institution of higher learning and cannot issue college credits or a formal degree, it is solely focused on culinary education. Students who pursue and complete SVCI’s one-year Professional Program will receive a U.S. Department of Labor Apprenticeship Certificate.
If you plan to attend the Sun Valley Culinary Institute’s recruiting event, RSVP to info@sunvalleyculinary.org.

Validated parking for Anthony’s at Boise is available in the Simplot parking garage with an entrance off S. 11th Street. Take the elevator up to the restaurant lobby.

About Sun Valley Culinary Institute
The Sun Valley Culinary Institute (SVCI) provides culinary education for students, professionals and food enthusiasts. In addition, SVCI attracts and develops workforce talent for the Wood River Valley’s diverse hospitality industries. While strengthening and diversifying the local economy, the Institute promotes community health and wellness with a focus on local food sources and sustainability.

The Sun Valley Culinary Institute is at 211 Main Street in Ketchum, Idaho. To learn more, visit SunValleyCulinary.org or email info@SunValleyCulinary.org.

CSHQA Announce Board Members

12/6/2022

CSHQA has announced new and returning members to its Board of Directors. Collin Hill, Senior Architect and Jason Brunson, Senior Electrical Engineer, were both named new Directors, serving three-year terms. Emily Baker, Founder and Managing Partner of Portman Square Group, Boise, Idaho will serve an additional three-year term as an Outside Director.
Returning Directors are Jim Otradosky, Chair, Danielle Weaver, Gabe Caretto, Jim Marsh, Mark Gier, and Outside Director, Scott Maloney, Senior Partner and Founder of Crain & Company, Denver, Colorado. Ruthie Heikkila, Human Resources Manager and Jesse Goldman, interim CEO are departing after three years of service as internal Directors.

Collin Hill

Emily Baker

Jason Brunson

Mark Gier

Scott Maloney

Gabe Caretto

Jim Marsh

Jim Otradosky