EMERGENCY RESPONDERS RESCUE HIKER ON KELLY MOUNTAIN
An emergency rescue Sunday afternoon on Kelly Mountain west of Hailey turned into an eight-hour operation because of the remoteness of the area where a woman hiker suffered a knee injury. The woman had been hiking with her husband, and suffered the injury when they were below the summit and out of cellphone range.
The rescue also involved a helicopter and numerous emergency responders, with about 25 of them being deployed to the area from Wood River Fire and Rescue, the Hailey and Sun Valley fire departments, Air St. Luke’s helicopter ambulance and Blaine County Communications.
The rescue started around 1:30 p.m. and extended into the early evening.
Craig Aberbach, who serves as both Wood River Fire and Rescue assistant chief and chief of the Hailey Fire Department, described the rescue in a press release issued Monday:
“Initial responders made their way to the victim, with a possible dislocated knee, traversing approximately 1.5 miles on foot with an approximate 1,500 feet vertical rise. Once there, it was determined the rescue would be more involved due to the limited access of the location.
“Additional responders were called to the scene as well as an air ambulance. The rescue helicopter made four trips to a forward staging location to drop off rescue equipment and emergency responders. The responders had to treat the patient and move her approximately one mile and approximately 800 vertical feet down the mountain to the air ambulance landing zone.”
Aberbach reported further that the woman, whose name and age were not released, was flown in stable condition from the area at about 8 p.m. and taken to a St. Luke’s hospital.
WRITERS’ CONFERENCE OFFERS FREE EVENTS
The annual Sun Valley Writers’ Conference, scheduled for July 12-15 at Sun Valley Resort, is offering several free events for the public.
In partnership with The Community Library in Ketchum, two free author talks are scheduled for 5-6 p.m. at the library on Monday, July 11.
In the Children’s Library, Firoozeh Dumas, an Iranian-American novelist and humorist and author of “Funny in Farsi,” will read from her latest young adult novel, “It Ain’t So Awful, Falafel,” in a presentation especially geared to youngsters grades 4-9. The presentation will be followed by a question-and-answer session.
Simultaneously, The Community Library will host a presentation in the Lecture Hall by award-winning Antiguan-American novelist and essayist Jamaica Kincaid, whose latest work is the novel “See Now Then.”
Two free lawn talks are also scheduled for the Sun Valley Pavilion. Advance tickets are required and can be obtained starting on Friday, June 24, at the Writers’ Conference office at 320 Leadville Ave. N. in Ketchum or at diVine Wine Bar in Hailey at its new location at 111 N. 1st Ave.
The first lawn talk, provided by The Irish Repertory Theatre of New York City, will be held from 5:45-6:45 p.m. on Wednesday, July 13. The presentation, titled “A Celebration of Yeats,” will include a performance of music and poetry.
The second lawn talk is scheduled from 5:45-6:45 p.m. on Thursday, July 15, and is provided by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, co-creators of HBO’s hit show “Game of Thrones.” The presentation is titled “Television and the Art of Storytelling.”
Additional information on the Writers’ Conference is available at www.wvwc.com.
The annual event brings together what the Conference describes as “the world’s best writers and thinkers.” It involves fiction and nonfiction writers, journalists, playwrights, poets and filmmakers, who will discuss their work, their ideas and their “concerns, hopes and aspirations” at various events.
The lineup includes 31 Pulitzer Prize winners, 10 National Book Award winners and five winners of the Mann Booker Prize awarded in Great Britain.
SUN VALLEY SUBSIDIZES SOLAR INSTALLATIONS
In support of Solarize Blaine, a program to encourage and provide cost breaks for solar energy projects, the City of Sun Valley will offer free solar permits for design review and building permitting for applications completed between July 1 and Aug. 15.
Fee permits normally cost between $475 and $575. Solarize Blaine reported in a press release that any other fees from the State of Idaho and homeowner associations will still apply.
“The Solarize Blaine project will promote local renewable generation, create more local jobs and help ensure energy security throughout Blaine County,” said Sun Valley Community Development Director Jae Hill. “The City of Sun Valley is proud to be supporting both local economic growth and environmental benefits, which are goals in our recently adopted comprehensive plan.”
Solarize Blaine, a program under the direction of the of the Sun Valley Institute for Resilience, reported on June 7 that 150 people have signed up for the program and that 10 solar installations are underway in Blaine County. The more businesses and homeowners that participate in the program, the cheaper the installation costs are for all involved.
Solarize Blaine has scheduled a free public “Solar 101 Info Session” on the program for 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 30, in the Minnie Moore Room at the Community Campus in Hailey. The program will cover “everything you need to know about going solar.” As part of the program, information will be presented following the initial presentation that is applicable to businesses, farms and nonprofits interested in solar installations.
Questions or requests for neighborhood, business or community presentations can be directed by email to program manager Katie Bray at energy@sunvalleyinstitute.org.
APPLY NOW FOR IDAHO INNOVATION AWARDS
Nominations are being accepted until July 29 for the 11th annual Idaho Innovations Awards, a program sponsored by Stoel Rivers LLP, Trailhead and the Idaho Technology Council.
Nominations can be made in one of five categories, including consumer product, commercialized innovation, early-stage innovation, innovative company, and innovator of the year.
Additional information and on the categories and submission qualifications is available at www.stoel.com/Idahoinnovation.
Nominations will be reviewed by a selection committee consisting of leaders from Idaho’s business and technology sectors. Finalists will be announced in September and finalists and winners will be recognized at the Idaho Technology Council “Hall of Fame” gathering on Oct. 25 at the Boise Center.
NEW BUS SCHEDULE GOES INTO EFFECT JUNE 18
Mountain Rides Transportation Authority’s new summer/fall bus schedule goes into effect on Saturday, June 18.
Copies of the new schedule are now available on Mountain Rides buses, at many bus stops and at numerous local businesses. Bus riders are advised to review the new schedule, since it includes time changes for the Blue and Valley routes and adds the Red Route, serving the south Elkhorn area, for the tourist season.
Schedule information is also available at the Mountain Rides website at www.mountainrides.org or at (208) 788-7433.
The new schedule remains in effect until Nov. 23.