David Peters

All of Jackson's senior citizens are welcome to bring their Medicare cards and come down to the Senior Center of Jackson Hole today from 8:30am-12:30pm to receive their free annual flu shot. If you don't have a Medicare card, the shot will cost you only $15. The clinic will provide transportation for $1 round trip. This clinic is limited to senior citizens. However, other public clinics will be offering flu vaccinations throughout October: Alta on October 16, Wilson on October 22, Jackson Hole High School on October 23 and Teton Village on October 30. If you are unable to attend any of these public clinics at those times, walk-ins are available at the county health department (460 E Pearl Ave) from 9:30am-4:30pm.

To transition from summer to fall, several areas of the Grand Teton National Park will be closing. Lizard Creek campground and Flagg Ranch Information Station already closed on September 2nd and the Flagg Ranch campground and Jenny Lake Ranger Station closed on September 21st. The following is a list of closures scheduled for the rest of September through October:

September 27 - Jenny Lake Visitor Center

September 28 - Jenny Lake campgrounds, Colter Bay campgrounds, Colter Bay facilities

October 5 - Jackson Lake Lodge, Jenny Lake Lodge

October 6 - Flagg Ranch

October 12 - Gros Ventre campground

October 13 - Colter Bay Visitor Center, Laurance S Rockefeller Preserve Center

October 19 - Signal Mountain Lodge, Signal Mountain campground

October 31 - Granite Canyon, Moose and Moran entrance stations, Moose-Wilson Road, Teton Park Road, Triangle X

Please contact Grand Teton National Park at 739-3300 for more information on closures in the area or visit the Teewinot, the park's newspaper.

The breathtaking scenery surrounding Jackson Hole provides the inspiration for local artisans, making Jackson Hole a great place to find fine art. Boyer's Indian Arts offers sand paintings, pottery, hand woven rugs and fine jewelry from Navajo, Zuni and Hopi Indians for sale. If you are looking for high quality Indian and Cowboy antiques, Cayuse Western Americana is the place for you. They have an amazing selection of spurs, textiles, chaps and beadwork as well as Native American jewelry and historic art, lithos and prints of the Jackson Hole area. The Diehl Gallery specializes in contemporary paintings and bronze sculptures by both world renowned and emerging artists. For aspiring jewelry designers, you can take a course at the Ingrid Weber Studio, who has been creating custom jewelry since 1986. If you love high quality furniture from the 19th and early 20th centuries, you simply must visit the Fighting Bear Antiques shop. Some of the other fine art galleries in Jackson Hole include: Galleries West Fine Arts, Hennes Studio & Gallery, Horizon Fine Art Gallery, Images of Nature Gallery, JH Muse Gallery, Legacy Gallery, Mountain Trails Gallery, RARE Gallery, the Robert Dean Collection, Trailside Galleries, West Lives on Gallery, Wilcox Gallery, Wilcox II, Wild by Nature and the Wyoming Gallery. Jackson Hole is also home to wonderful museums, including the Jackson Hole Historical Society & Museum and the National Museum of Wildlife Art. The 2nd Annual Jackson Hole Art Auction will be held on September 20th. Some of the proceeds from this auction will go to benefit the National Museum of Wildlife Art and the Center for the Arts. Whether you live here or are simply passing through, stop by one of these fine art establishments to see how our artists have captured the beauty and inspiration of Jackson Hole.

While the Jackson Hole market has experienced a slow down, it is nowhere near the dire straits being touted in the media. A California-based research company recently reported that the median home price in Teton County had dropped 9% in the last fiscal year. While the lower end market has experienced a slight dip in home values, the higher end Jackson market has actually increased 2% (from $1.175 million in July 2007 to $1.2 million as of July 1, 2008). Since the Jackson Hole market has consistently experienced approximately 20% increases every year for the last few years, a slow down or even slight dip may seem much bigger than it is. Many Teton County realtors believe this is a much needed correction in the market. With slowing sales volume, there is now an 80% increase in inventory from a year ago. In actuality, Jackson home values are about the same as they were two years ago. Sellers seem to have trouble believing that their home hasn't increased 20% from last year, which is reflected in the asking price. However, many sellers are understanding that this has become a buyer's market. So, don't be shy. Make an offer. The worst that can happen is that the seller will counter.

As more attention is focused on green building, especially in Jackson Hole, some people still seem to be stuck on the misconceptions of the past. For instance, green building is not always an expensive undertaking. This myth has persevered because more high-end projects tend to get builders' attention. The truth is that there are many ways to utilize green building inexpensively by reducting waste, selecting the correct size for the structure's function and so much more. Another myth is that the products used in green building don't work as well as traditional building supplies. The low-flow toilet still gets a bad rap even though it has been required in new construction for over a decade now. Additionally, people believe that green products are too hard to find. While not as readily available as traditional building products, they are becoming more and more prevalent in local building supply chains and can always be found online. The sheer number of green products continues to grow and shows no sign of slowing down. Many people still believe that building a "green" home can be too complicated and tend to take an "all or nothing" approach. Constructing a green home is only as complicated as you want to make it. Using some green building materials is better than using none at all. In fact, more home builders and manufacturers are using some sort of green building materials than ever before. Take a closer look at utilizing green building in your new Jackson construction or remodeling projects. It's easier, more affordable and less complicated than you would think.