Local agency seeks donations for school supplies

This is a time of year when school supplies are least expensive, which is why F.I.S.H., an Idaho Falls non-profit, is putting out a call for donations so it can help outfit underprivileged kids with backpacks, pencils, rulers, paper, et. al.

The program has been a great success in past years, but right now the agency's school supply funds are at a low ebb. This past year they helped 157 more children than they did the previous year.

A basic setup for school is easily $40 without a backpack, and 90 percent of the people who approach the F.I.S.H. say they need a backpack. "We are requesting financial donations now so items can be purchased  at the best sale price," said Liz Herrmann, who coordinates the program. All donated items are appreciated, but be advised that they have a surplus of spiral notebooks.

If you want to contribute, give a check to your church or mail it directly to the Regional Council for Christian Ministries, P.O. Box 2236, Idaho Falls, ID 83403. Stipulate on the check, "FISH school supply program."  Herrmann said they expect to help 600 students before school starts in September, and that they will also need help packing and delivering the supplies. Call 522-0493 to volunteer or for more details.

More Fourth of July photos, because you seem to like them so much

Source: akbarlow.blogspot.com

Source: lifeonpoppylane.blogspot.com

OK, maybe this is a shameless attempt to get new eyeballs onto BizMojo Idaho, but I want to do an experiment based on something that's happened in the last 10 days.

On June 20, I posted the Greater Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce's press release on everything that's happening this Fourth of July. Boilerplate, right? I thought so, but because I like to illustrate everything I post with a photo or an illustration I went to Google Images and found a nice picture from 2011 of a bunch of kids on the curb, ready for the parade. In the caption I gave credit where it came from, a family blog, and I identified the kids as best I could.

I figured that was that. I immediately posted it to Facebook, because I've learned it's imperative to share everything I post to the big social media sites. Let the readers have a part in deciding what the news is.

Today, that post, "Here's a happy family at last year's Idaho Falls Fourth of July parade ..." (http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1127161227049840947#editor/target=post;postID=1810990410246958060) is No. 3 on the BizMojo Hit Parade and rising fast. All I can surmise is that people saw the photo and shared it with friends and family members. My numbers exploded. Social Media 101.

On reflection, it shouldn't have come as a surprise. Thirty-two years ago, when I was editor of the Jeffrey City News, I learned that if I wanted a connection with the community the best thing I could do was shoot lots of pictures of kids and run them in the paper. This was good for sales, too, because mom and dad would buy copies for grandma, grandpa, Uncle Bob, Aunt Sally, etc. Today is really no different, except for the fact that you can't clip a Web page and put it in a scrapbook (unless you print it, but how many of us do that?)

So, in the spirit of summer, here are a few more Idaho Falls Fourth of July photos from the past few years. Do you see anyone you know? Feel free to share. And remember the ideals that make us the United States, one of which is the free, unfettered exchange of knowledge and information.

Source: hkagcontreras.blogspot.com

ISU, Idaho Falls company team up to produce medical isotope for use in cancer diagnosis, treatment

Douglas Wells, director of the Idaho State University Idaho Accelerator Center, talks about the custom-built IAC accelerator that will be used to create medical isotopes. (ISU Photographic Services)

The Idaho Accelerator Center at Idaho State University is teaming up with International Isotopes, an Idaho Falls company, to produce Copper-67, a medical isotope that has not been consistently available in the United States.

Copper-67 can be used both for both diagnosis and treatment of people suffering from non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, as well as bladder, colo-rectal and ovarian cancers.

Under the arrangement, the Accelerator Center hopes to create enough pure Copper-67 by mid-summer to provide it to International Isotopes for initial testing. International Isotopes has facilities in Idaho Falls where it can package the materials for use at hospitals and clinics around the nation. In addition to its work at the accelerator center, ISU is providing expertise for chemical processing. International Isotopes has agreed to make an in-kind contribution of equipment for the isotope processing, technical support for packaging and shipping, and supporting safety staff.

Here is the link to the full story: http://www2.isu.edu/headlines/?p=3858

Two peeks inside soon-to-open businesses

The interior of the Celt Pub (once the Hub Bar), at Broadway and Park Avenue. The pub is scheduled to open the last weekend of July.

Thirty years of journalism will give you a brazen willingness to trespass in the service of others' curiosity. Here are pictures from inside the Marriott Residence Inn and the Celt Pub, both of which are scheduled to open in the next 30 days.

The front desk of the Marriott Residence Inn at lunchtime Thursday. The hotel is slated to open in mid-July.

Fuhriman honored by Idaho Association of Cities

Idaho Falls Mayor Jared Fuhriman

Idaho Falls Mayor Jared Fuhriman is this year's recipient of the Harold Hurst Award, given annually by the Idaho Association of Cities to a municipal public official who “demonstrates exemplary performance in city government.” It is named for Harold Hurst, the mayor of Heyburn for 24 years and a past association president. Fuhirman received the award recently at the association's annual conference and banquet in Boise.

Founded in 1947, IAC is a non-partisan, non-profit corporation organized, owned, and operated by Idaho city governments.

“It is a tremendous honor and is deeply humbling to be recognized at this level and I truly appreciate the association’s recognition and support," Fuhriman said. "But the city of Idaho Falls runs on the hard work and dedication of all of our city employees and this award is a direct reflection of the great work all of them do, every single day.”