Andrew’s Rib Shack is looking for a new home. The operations are now focused solely on catering until owner Andrew Petrehn can locate a new spot for his restaurant. Eagle Rib Shack was closed in December and Andrew’s Rib Shack in Meridian was closed last week. “We are still searching for the ideal restaurant location, and when we find it we’ll open back up.” Petrehn said. “Now, more than ever, location means everything.”

For now, barbecue lovers can continue to get the award winning Rib Shack food via Rib Shack Catering. Accommodating groups of ten or more, the famous food can be delivered throughout the Boise metropolitan area for business lunches, graduations, weddings, tailgate parties and any time people need a barbecue fix. Delivery is available to job sites, offices, homes and outdoor events. The Rib Shack will also be making appearances at special events throughout Idaho. Petrehn looks forward to competing in more barbecue contests over the summer with the hopes of adding more awards to his collection. Contact Andrew at 938-0008 for more information, or visit the website at AndrewsRibShack.com.

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Post from: Saundra McDavid

Rib Shack focuses on catering, closes restaurants

In 1975 2,500 orphans were airlifted out of war-torn Vietnam and flown to homes in the United States and around the world in an initiative implemented by President Ford. Thirty years later some of those orphans are finding themselves threatened with deportation.

Michael Frailey was one of the Vietnamese children rescued by Operation Babylift. He arrived in the United States on April 4, 1975 to the welcoming arms of his adoptive parents, Gordon and Ginny Frailey of Arnold, Missouri.   Michael spent the next 34 years growing up as an American; enlisting in the Air National Guard and serving his country for six years, some of that time overseas, voting in elections, establishing a career at Xerox where he has worked for 21 years and getting married.  It wasn’t until Michael applied for a passport to take a scuba trip to Belize when he was 29 that he realized something was amiss.  The adoption paperwork had not been properly filed back in the 70’s.  Even though he had a social security number, adoption papers and a driver’s license, he was not a United States Citizen according to the INS (now USCIS).  In fact, according to USCIS, he was an illegal alien and now in danger of being deported.

During the next 13 years, Michael struggled through countless agencies and organizations, hiring an attorney and tracking his journey all the way back to the organization that arranged for his adoption back in the 70’s.   His investigation has put him in touch with other Operation Babylift orphans who are facing the same struggles.  President Ford’s Operation Babylift children are having their lives thrown in turmoil once again by bureaucratic paperwork.

Michael’s story has a happy ending.  After beginning the immigration process as if he had just arrived in the country (communicable disease tests, shots, background investigation, paperwork and time requirements) his struggle with USCIS ended on February 2, 2009 as he was sworn in as a US Citizen.  However there are more than 200,000 foreign-adopted children already living in the U.S. Many of them are facing the same problems as Frailey and are afraid to come forward for fear of being deported.   Others will not realize that there is a problem until they apply for passports and then will face the same nightmare from which Frailey has recently emerged.

Congress has acted to fix the problem for all new adoptees.  In 2001, the Child Citizenship Act (CCA) became effective, which allows any child under the age of 18 who is adopted by a U.S. citizen and immigrates to the United States to acquire immediate citizenship.  However this law provides no protection for older children, who through no fault of their own are facing deportation due to missing paperwork.  The children of Operation Babylift have been forgotten in the process.

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Post from: Saundra McDavid

The forgotten children of Operation Babylift

My nine year old asked this a few weeks ago: ” On February, 3^rd or 4^th, or 5^th do you want it to be cloudy? So that the mole, or hedgehog ‘thingey’ sees his shadow so we get more snow?”

Oh dear.

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Post from: Saundra McDavid

Will the mole see his shadow?

A tale of two cities.  Victorville, California is getting into the banking business.  The town sits halfway between Las Vegas and Los Angeles.  Its largest sales tax revenue stream, Victorville Motors is in financial troubles and can not get a loan from a bank.  So the city council elected to loan $200,000 to the company in exchange for a security interest in the property.  The funds will be taken from the city’s redevelopment fund.   So where does it end? How will the city deny the next company that comes knocking on its door?

The bigger story may be that there is actually a city in the country with excess funds to loan.  Back home in Eagle, Idaho there is much discussion about the financial welfare of the city which appears to be over a half million in debt.  The city, led by first time Mayor Phil Bandy,  took out a loan to cover its shortfall, however there have been no known plans made public on trimming the spending, leaving the city on a path to a $2 million dollar deficit at the end of the year.    City officials chose to spend the budget surplus last year on employee raises and a bike park, leaving the city insolvent as building permit revenues dwindle.

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Post from: Saundra McDavid

One city insolvent, the other becomes a bank

In the news recently was talk of SarahPAC, a Political Action Committee  which “will allow Gov. Palin to help find and create solutions for America’s most pressing problems; priority number one is building a strong and prosperous economy that recognizes hard work, innovation and integrity by rewarding small businesses and hard working American families. SarahPac will support local and national candidates who share Gov. Palin’s ideas and goals for our country.”  Although the PAC clearly states that it is not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee, Governor Sarah Palin is the honorary Chair of the committee.

The creation of this PAC allows Palin to help other candidates, who ideally in return will help her when the time comes.  She can contribute fund to their campaigns and cover the cost of her travel expenses to fundraising and other political events.

Some have indicated this is a sign Palin intends to run for the Republican nomination for President in 2012.

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Post from: Saundra McDavid

Sarah Palin’s PAC