Opera Elect returning to The Cellar this Saturday

Opera Elect -- Zach Buker and Jordan Michelle Bowman -- will perform Saturday night at The Cellar.

Opera Elect — Jordan Michelle Bowman and Zach Buker — will be back at The Cellar Saturday night, with special guests Lakotah Terrace and Idaho Fall's own Jason Dyer.

To mark the occasion, The Cellar will be offering a $30 opera-themed full course special: an overture appetizer, an opera-worthy stuffed pork chop main course, and an encore dessert. Drink specials include a "Carmen Tease" as well as "The Figaro." Regular menu items will also be provided.

Bowman and Buker say they paired up out of a desire to perform. Both studied music and vocal performance at the College of Idaho.”We want to perform, but the opportunities to do so are limited, especially for people as young as we are," said Bowman. "So we thought, well, let’s create our own opportunities."

The two have done opera parties throughout the Northwest, singing from the classical repertoire as well as more contemporary works. Right now, they are collaborating with Madelein Bowman, a friend and colleague, on an original work, “The Fortune Teller,” which they plan to debut next summer.

More information can be found at their Web site, operaelect.org. To make a reservation at The Cellar, call (208) 525-9300.

Subway to aid Community Food Basket

This holiday season, Idaho Falls Subway restaurants are collecting money to help the Idaho Falls Community Food Basket.

Subway restaurants in Idaho Falls are participating the SUBWAY Cares fund-raising program for Idaho Falls Community Food Basket (formerly the Community Food Bank).

Starting Sunday, customers will be able to donate at checkout by rounding up to the nearest dollar. All funds will go directly toward the Community Food Basket to help feed families in need during the holiday season. The program will run through Dec. 12.

“We’re thrilled to have this partnership with the Community Food Basket as we raise funds to assist in community awareness and feeding our neighbors that may be in need,” said Scott Sprague, owner of several Subway restaurants in southeast Idaho.

Subway Restaurants of Idaho Falls will present the Community Food Basket with a check totaling the collected amount on Dec. 14. Board members, managers and Subway staffers will join members of the Community Food Basket to celebrate.

“We are excited that Subway chose our organization to kick off the SUBWAY Cares Program,” said Bud Langerak, director of the Community Food Basket. “Our partnership has been incredibly significant to the organization as it looks to raise awareness and provide the community with food during this holiday season.”

Idaho Falls Chamber CEO receives national scholarship

Michelle Holt

The Institute for Organization Management, the professional development program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, has awarded Michelle Holt, CEO of the Greater Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce, a National Institute Scholarship.

Given to professionals across the country, the National Institute Scholarships recognize each recipient for their involvement in industry professional organizations, community service, and professional background.

“(They) offer executives the opportunity to learn about emerging industry trends, expand their organizations’ influence, and grow their peer network,” said Raymond P. Towle, vice president of Institute for Organization Management at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. “We are pleased to help these talented professionals advance their careers and organizations.”

Institute graduates receive the IOM recognition, signifying completion of 96 hours of course instruction in non-profit management. In addition, participants can earn credit hours toward the Certified Chamber Executive or Certified Association Executive certifications. Nearly 1,000 individuals attend each year.

Advertising Federation meeting Nov. 19 at Dixie's Diner

The Idaho Falls Advertising Federation will have its monthly Lunch & Learn session Nov. 19 at Dixie’s Diner. This month, the focus will be on the upcoming Gem Awards, IFAF’s annual celebration of the best advertising on this side of the state.

Awards Director Steve Fischbach will be on hand to give insights into the competition: Who sanctions it, judging criteria, this year's submission guidelines, and even tips on effective entry strategies.

Also, call for entries packets and entry envelopes will be available to anyone planning to submit work to this year's competition. Questions are welcome.

The meeting starts at 11:30 a.m. and includes lunch. Cost is $12 for members, $15 for guests. For more information, visit https://ifadfed.wordpress.com/.

New intersection at 25th and Hitt Road to be dedicated Monday

City officials from Ammon and Idaho Falls on Monday will be opening the upgraded intersection of 25th Street and Hitt Road, just south of Target.

The ceremony begins at 10 a.m. with remarks from Ammon Mayor Dana Kirkham, followed by comments from Ammon City Councilman Brad Christensen and Idaho Falls City Council President Mike Lehto. The cities will cut the ceremonial ribbon by making a symbolic left turn onto Hitt Road through the ribbon and then circling back around to the green space along the new corridor.

Work on the improvements began Oct. 5 with H-K Contractors developing an exit-only roadway behind Target and a new four-way traffic signal. According to a press release from the city of Idaho Falls, work was completed on schedule and under budget. The cost of the signal upgrade, right-of-way work and materials was $147,300, and was shared equally between Ammon and Idaho Falls. The work beyond the Hitt Road right-of-way that connects the Target parking lot to the new intersection has been paid by the city of Ammon with support from Woodbury Corp.

Making a left turn out of the Ammon Town Square parking lot has been a headache for years. Because of the short distance between the 17th Street and 25th Street signals, Idaho Transportation Department regulations precluded another signal being put in.

Council members and department directors from both cities began talking in April 2014 about coordinating efforts along the Hitt Road corridor. Subcommittees were formed to evaluate and explore options for improvements at key intersections and projects were ranked by priority. After the work at Sunnyside at Hitt appeared to be on track, attention shifted to the East 25th Street and Hitt Road intersection, with an eye toward relieving traffic congestion along that corridor before the 2015 holiday season started.

One person who was instrumental in getting the project on the rails was the late Idaho Falls Councilman Dee Whittier, who will have a tree planted in his memory at the site.

”He was a tremendous partner who had a passion for this and other traffic issues,” Christensen said.
Redesign of the intersection at 17th and Hitt remains a high priority for both cities, but they do not anticipate any work this budget year. Both cities continue to investigate redesign and funding options.

Ace Hardware slated for west side location

An Ace Hardware store is going in where Rite-Aid Drug used to be.

If you've been on the west side, you might notice work being done at the long-vacant space in Westfield Plaza that used to be occupied by Rite-Aid. According to plans at the city of Idaho Falls Building Department, Peterson Enterprises is developing the space into an Ace Hardware store.

The project, at 1747 West Broadway, involves 14,075 square feet of space, with a sales floor of 11,711 square feet. I am still trying to find out who the franchisee is, but have information that it is a different company from the one running the store in Ammon.

INL electric vehicle story gets posted on BuzzFeed

A screenshot of the BuzzFeed article, posted Tuesday.

Idaho National Laboratory has made it to BuzzFeed for the first time ever, with a list of the top eight things learned from a three year study of electric vehicles.

Here's the link: Eight Discoveries From the Largest Vehicle Charging Demonstration In The World.

If you don't think this is big, check out this link: By The Numbers: 14 Amazing Buzzfeed Statistics.

Basically, BuzzFeed has more than 200 million monthly unique visitors, half of them between 18 and 34 years old. Roughly 60 percent are reading on mobile devices.

Suppose 1 percent of BuzzFeed clicked on Tuesday's story about the INL. Doing the hypothetical math (my favorite kind), we divide 200 million by 30 (the days of the month), then divide that by 100 to get a rough total of 67,000 people. That's a lot of eyeballs of the little ol' INL.

MarCellar's celebrating 20 years in business

A nice row of reds at MarCellar's, on Park Avenue

MarCellar’s Vintage Wines and Brews is celebrating 20 years in business this month. In November 1995, Marcella Medor began offering wines and microbrews in a tiny space on Northgate Mile next door to the Hawg Smoke Café. The business quickly outgrew the space and moved to 431 Park Avenue, where it is today, microbrews and wines from all over the world.

To mark the anniversary, MarCellar’s will be having special events and offers. The main event will be Nov. 6, from 4 to 8 p.m, with a wine and beer tasting featuring representatives from Colter Creek, Huston and Cinder wineries. Wines from Split Rail, Camas, and Pend O’Reille wineries will also be served, as well as beers from Wildlife Brewing in Victor, Sockeye, Payette, Grand Teton and Edge breweries. Diablas Kitchen will be providing appetizers and there will be live music by Severed Ties starting at 6 p.m.  Proceeds from the tasting, raffle and silent auction will go to the Idaho Falls Exchange Club in support of Veterans Matter, a program supporting homeless veterans (www.veteransmatter.org).
 
Vince Bellon will be performing in the shop on Nov. 13, a great opportunity to listen to blues in a small venue.

For additional information, contact Marilynne at (208) 221-5142 or email marilynnem@gmail.com.

Advanced Test Reactor modifications receive recognition

For the second year in a row, Idaho National Laboratory has received recognition from industry peers for completion of a major engineering or construction modification.

The INL's Advanced Test Reactor dates back to the mid-1960s. Frequently upgraded, it remains the nation's leading nuclear energy research reactor.

The Advanced Test Reactor Transition to Commercial Power modification has been chosen by Engineering News-Record as the first-place winner in the energy-industrial category of its 2015 Best Projects competition. This includes new projects, or the renovations or modifications of existing facilities in the Mountain states.

The work demonstrated the successful collaboration of a U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory with a manufacturer to design, fabricate, test and install a custom-built uninterruptible power supply that meets stringent U.S. nuclear safety and quality assurance requirements. This modification resulted in improved operational safety and reliability, significant carbon emission reductions, and major operating cost savings for the ATR, America’s leading nuclear energy research reactor.

In place of a system that required continuous operation of diesel generators, INL can expect an annual savings of $550,000 by using commercial electrical power and an energy-efficient, redundant battery system while the reactor is operating. Diesel generators are still in place and ready to operate as a backup source of power.

Ending continuous operation of the diesel generators significantly reduces the carbon footprint of INL. Eliminating greenhouse gas emissions from the combustion of 225,000 gallons of diesel fuel provides a net reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 892 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent annually. This corresponds to a 100 percent reduction of process-related stationary combustion emissions for the ATR area, and a 28 percent reduction of overall INL stationary combustion emissions.

A panel of eight judges, including architects, general contractors, consultants, academics and engineers, selected winners in the 2015 Intermountain Area Best Projects competition. The ATR modifications are profiled in the October issue of ENR Mountain States.

EIRMC starts advice line

Does your child have a simple case of the sniffles, or does she need to come to the emergency room right away? A lot of parents don’t know, and when it’s after hours or on the weekend, when the doctor’s office is closed, they might err on the side of caution.

To help with situations like this, Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center has started its “Ask a Nurse” Advice Line. When parents just aren’t sure what to do, they now have access to a pediatric medical professional over the phone who can advise them on the best course of action for their sick child. Parents can call, describe their child’s symptoms, and receive sound medical advice.

This service is now live and available weekdays from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. and 24 hours a day on weekends and holidays. Call (208) 497-6167 for fast, free advice.

Tai Pan Trading says it's coming to Idaho Falls

The Tai Pan Trading store in St. George, Utah.

Tai Pan Trading Co., a home decor store chain based in Salt Lake City, posted on Facebook Oct. 19 that it is coming to Idaho Falls. Read the announcement here.

Efforts to reach Jon Lee, the company’s chief information officer, have been unsuccessful. Local sources in commercial real estate confirm that the store is likely to come, that people from the company have scouted the area. But a final leasing deal hasn't been reached and no one wants to say anything definite until papers are signed.

According to the company's Web site, Tai Pan Trading started in 1979 as a wholesale floral supplier, in a small space with two cash registers and very few parking stalls. As the business expanded into home decor, the owners decided to open a showroom and offer merchandise directly to the public.

In 2005 Tai Pan opened its first retail store in Sandy, Utah. It now has five stores in Utah, one in California and one in Idaho, in Boise. The Boise store opened in September 2011 after the company leased 30,000 square feet where the Borders book store had been, in Milwaukee Marketplace, near Barnes & Noble and JoAnn Fabrics. The space had been vacant for five years.

One last thing: The arrow on the map on the Facebook link would indicate the store is going in at the corner of Park Avenue and Broadway. Krisi Staten, executive director of the Downtown Development Corp. said she would love to have Tai Pan Trading in the middle of town, but added that anytime someone gives an address no more definite than "Idaho Falls" that's where the arrow ends up landing.

Chamber announces Business of Distinction winners

The Greater Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce has announced its winners of the Second Annual Business of Distinction Awards. A dinner will be held Nov. 13 at the Colonial Theater/Willard Arts Center.

Area companies being recognized are as follows:

• Business Services Industry: Hopkins Roden Crockett Hansen & Hoopes
• Financial Services Industry: Mountain America Credit Union
• Healthcare Industry: Nuclear Care Partners
• Hospitality & Tourism Industry: Hilton Garden Inn Idaho Falls
• Non-Profit Organization: Eastern Idaho Community Action Partnership
• Real Estate & Construction Industry: AmeriTitle, Inc.
• Retail Industry: Bill’s Bike and Run
• Agriculture Industry: Reed’s Dairy, Inc.
• Manufacturing & Engineering Industry: Idaho Brewing Company
• Chamber Member of the Year (Small Division): Artcore Visual Studio
• Chamber Member of the Year (Medium Division): Stevens-Henager College
• Chamber Member of the Year (Large Division): Silver Star Communications
• Tribute to Local Business (Sponsored by Melaleuca): Love at First Bite Mercantile
• Wayne C. Hammond Award for Service to the Chamber: BBSI, Mike Richards and Jeremy 
• Charlie White Award for Service to the Community: Citizens Community Bank, Becky 
• Service to East Idaho Award: Lori Priest

The event will begin with a cocktail hour and reception at 6 p.m. in the Carr Gallery of the Willard Arts Center, followed by the awards ceremony in the Colonial Theater at 7:30 p.m.

This year’s Gold sponsor is Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center.  Silver Sponsors are Melaleuca and Farr’s Jewelry. Bronze Sponsors include Riverbend Communications, the Bank of Commerce, I.E. Productions, KPVI News Channel 6, and Supporting Sponsors include Progrexion, Mountain View Hospital, Watkins Distributing, The Cellar, Petal Passion, and Signature Party Rental.

To purchase event tickets, visit www.idahofallschamber.com. Ticket prices are $45 for individuals and $75 for couples. Formal attire is requested.

Bakery opening in Shane Building

The Shane Building, at the southwest corner of Shoup Avenue and A Street, will be the home of Idaho Falls’ newest bakery.

Business owner Lynn Winter said she hasn’t decided on a name for the business – Romeo’s is the leading contender – but that she hopes to be open in time for the holiday season.

They are moving into the space most recently occupied by Lily’s Consignment. A downtown landmark, the Shane Building is 100 years old this fall and, as can be expected in a renovation project of this type, Winter said she and the contractors have been peeling away decades’ worth of changes. The false ceilings have been removed to reveal the leaded glass work, and the mezzanine has been taken out to get everything onto one level.

Winter said they plan to serve pastries, sandwiches and soup. She estimates she will have about 1,200 square feet for the dining area and 800 square feet for the kitchen.

“We really need quite a lot of room to do the bagels,” she said.

Baking is nothing new to Winter. Her mother, Marjorie Bidwell, and aunt, Beth McCammon, had a custom bakery in Pocatello, and in high school and college she worked in a German bakery inside the long-gone OK’s grocery store.

“I’ve dipped a lot of donuts,” she said.

She later became the Post Register’s creative services director, but continued making custom wedding cakes, even winning prizes with them. “It’s just something I’ve always liked to do,” she said.

When she left the Post Register in 2007, she began baking more and charging for her work. The business grew, with her daughter, Angie Suseno, and son-in-law Sigit Suseno helping out. In fact,
Sigit, a former INL person, has developed a great love for baking and is likely to play a big part in the new business she said.

Opening a bakery is something she has always wanted to do, but Winter started looking at locations in earnest in 2013. “We’re really happy to be downtown,” she said.

Fall River Electric schedules meetings over proposed rate increases

Fall River Rural Electric Cooperative has scheduled a series of meetings this week for interested owner-members regarding several rate increases proposed by its board of directors.

Owner-members of the co-op are invited to attend any one of three meetings scheduled for Ashton, Driggs, and West Yellowstone. The Ashton meeting is Thursday, Oct. 22, Driggs is Wednesday, Oct. 21 and West Yellowstone is set for tonight. Each meeting will be held at the respective offices of Fall River Electric and are set to begin at 7 p.m.

The rate increases are the result of Bonneville Power Administration’s increases to Fall River for both wholesale power and transmission costs. The BPA increases included 7.1 percent for wholesale power and 4.4 percent for transmission costs. Both went into effect Oct. 1.

No rate increase has been planned for Fall River residential members or irrigation accounts. According to Bryan Case, the CEO and general manager, “We have made significant efforts over the past few years to reduce our costs of operation, and the result of that effort is our board’s decision to absorb most of these BPA increases. Additionally, the board, at its regularly scheduled September meeting, proposed that there would not be any increase in residential rates or rates to our irrigation members.”

The recommendation from the board and management was to make slight increases to the co-op’s small general service accounts, large commercial accounts, and institute a monthly charge for idle services. Those proposals will be discussed at these upcoming member meetings.

As currently proposed, small general service members would see a 5 percent increase, which will average about $6.81 a month, while the large general service (commercial members) will see an increase of $1 a month. The board is also proposing a new monthly fee for “idle services” of $10 a month.

An idle service is defined as one which has power available but has been disconnected or is inactive, or the meter has been removed, or is not being billed for demand or a line and system maintenance fee.

Owner-members of the co-op are invited to attend any one of three meetings scheduled for Ashton, Driggs, and West Yellowstone. The Ashton meeting is Thursday, Oct. 22, Driggs is Wednesday, Oct. 21 and West Yellowstone is set for tonight. Each meeting will be held at the respective offices of Fall River Electric and are set to begin at 7 p.m.

Input from these meeting will be discussed at the board’s regularly scheduled monthly meeting on Oct. 26, at which time a final decision will be made regarding the proposed rate increases and its effective date. The final rate decision will be announced in the December issue of the cooperative’s monthly FLASHES newsletter and on its Web site, www.fallriverelectric.com and Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/FallRiverREC.

New restaurant opening in Captain’s Cove location

Josh Swain is planning a soft opening this Wednesday for his newest restaurant, Abracadabra’s. It will be at 2040 Channing Way, the former location of Captain’s Cove and, before that, Buddy’s and Fanatics.

Swain is a founder of Stockman’s, which moved a few years ago from County Line Road to Snake River Landing. He grew up in the business at Swain Brothers Restaurant in Vernal, Utah, and has a fundamentals approach to the business. “I let my food be the lead,” he said. “High quality ingredients at affordable prices.”

Abracadabra’s (“Where food is magic”) will have a breakfast-and-brunch bistro style menu, with entrees like breakfast reuben and chicken waffles.

The kitchen staff is in place, but Swain said they are still looking for servers. Anyone interested can call 208-881-9024, or email a resume to lysacall@gmail.com.

Breast cancer awareness benefit set Oct. 23

In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Rex & Tiffany Redden Foundation is hosting its second Tapas for Tatas dinner Oct. 23 at the Keefer’s Island Convention Center in Idaho Falls. Last year’s event raised more than $10,000 to aid breast cancer research and to help raise awareness through education and screenings.

Survivors of all forms of cancer are invited to attend and be honored in the  survivor presentation. In addition to the presentation, there will be a raffle drawing, music and a raffle, music, a Survivor Presentation, and a talk from Tiffany Redden, who was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer in November 2013. This aggressive form of cancer had advanced to stage 3 and metastasized to her lymph nodes.

The same time she started chemotherapy, she and her husband, Rex, formed their foundation with the purpose of educating other women and men about the necessity of breast self-exams. “If I had listened to my doctor and was performing the monthly self-exams as recommended, I may have caught my cancer earlier,” she said. “I could not let another day go by without doing my part to educate others about the benefits of early-detection.”

Pre-registration is required at http://www.thereddenfoundation.org/survivors. Photos and names of survivors to be honored at the event can be emailed to tiffanyredden@ymail.com.

Dixie's Diner to celebrate 10th anniversary

Dixie's Diner on Channing Way

Dixie’s Diner will be celebrating its 10th anniversary on Saturday with throwback pricing, including $5 hamburgers and $2 milkshakes. The waitresses will be dressing up '50s style, and of course the music will be what it always is, oldies from the jukebox.

Dixie’s, at 2150 Channing Way, started in 2005 as the 5 & Diner, with the tagline “Food, Fun and Fifties.” The arrangement with the franchising company in Arizona remained in effect until July 2008, when owner Dixie Murphy and her operating business partner Tom Hersh decided they could just as easily operate on their own.

While the food and themed atmosphere have obviously been a hit, Dixie’s has also been an example of corporate citizenship. The meeting room is available to groups as diverse as the East Side Rotary, Idaho Falls Advertising Federation and Alcoholics Anonymous. In the 10 years the diner has been open Dixie’s has donated through fund-raising nights more than $15,000 to local schools, athletic teams, churches and the Tautphaus Park Zoological Society. Hersh has served for more than 13 years on the Idaho Falls Parks and Recreation Commission and the golf advisory board.

“I am am proud of being a local owner of a successful restaurant,” he said.