KELLER WILLIAMS VOLUNTEERS FOR ‘HAPPY TRAILS’
The City of Ketchum reported June 16 that its “Happy Trails project is off to a happy start” with work completed on two of 13 trails.
The project is intended to renovate trails in the city that provide access to the Big Wood River. The city reported that most trails need signage and that “some of the trails are overgrown with vegetation, making it difficult for people to know where they can access the river.” The Happy Trails project is intended to improve these conditions. In addition to adding signage and clearing overgrowth, the project will provide marked parking areas and will reroute some trails that are now “unsustainable.”
The project is a partnership between the city and the Idaho Conservation League, which received a $14,900 grant from American Rivers for Happy Trails.
The project is still seeking volunteers, and the city reported that Keller Williams Sun Valley Realty was the first entity to participate, providing some 20 agents for Keller Williams RED Day—Renew, Energize and Donate. The group recently donated a day of work to the project, contributing labor for improving the Bear Lane and Northwood Way trails. Work included digging paths, removing rocks and brush and spreading a granite base to provide easier access to people in wheelchairs or with other mobility problems.
“We were thrilled to perform such a fantastic project for Ketchum,” said Keller Williams’ agent Lane Monroe. “Giving back to the community for this type of project is important to us. Public lands access is near and dear to Idahoans.”
PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR HONORED NATIONALLY
Robyn Mattison, the City of Ketchum’s public works director and city engineer, is one of 14 engineering professionals recently highlighted nationally in an industry publication “Water and Wastewater Digest.”
The city noted in a press release that the publication described Mattison as a “pioneer” and reported that she was the first female public works director in the State of Idaho.
Mattison was recognized for being instrumental in obtaining $65,000 in grants for a Ketchum transportation study and for the city’s Happy Trails project. Also, she was credited with leadership in a joint project between the city and the Sun Valley Water & Sewer District to provide reclaimed wastewater to irrigate the Elkhorn golf course.
ST LUKE’S WOOD RIVER HONORS VOLUNTEERS
At an appreciation luncheon on June 8, St. Luke’s Wood River honored its 186 volunteers who have contributed more than 10,000 hours of volunteer service over the course of a year. St. Luke’s Wood River CEO Cody Langbehn estimated that the volunteer work is worth about $200,000.
Terri LeFaivre, with lifetime volunteer service of 2,461 hours, was named Volunteer of the Year. St. Luke’s noted in a press release that LeFaivre has served as a board member for five years, and has served as gift shop manager for two years.
The Helping Hands Award, for volunteers at the St. Luke’s Center for Community Health, went to Angelica Egoavil, who has been a volunteer at the center for nearly 18 years.
Bobbie Dahl received the “Ready, Willing and Able” award for her volunteerism at Healing Touch, where she uses her healing abilities to help patients undergoing treatments to relax and decrease stress and pain.
Other volunteers were recognized for lifetime accumulation of service hours. One hundred-plus hours were credited to Lynn Cleary, Linda Muehlegger, Judy Prothero and Cheri Watson. Two hundred and fifty-plus hours were credited to Lynn Flickinger, Tish Jochums, Judy Kaiser, Nelda Kendall and Mike Potter. Five hundred-plus hours were credited to Maureen Coyle, Sara Harkness and J.B. Howes.
Honored for 1,000 hours-plus were Teri Campbell and Jan Leyse; for 1,500 hours-plus was Teddie Daley; for 2,000 hours-plus was Terri LeFaivre; for 3,000 hours-plus was Mary Adams; and for 5,000 hours-plus was Wibby Bischoff.
BCSD SELECTS INTERIM FINANCE MANAGER
Blaine County School District Superintendent GwenCarol Holmes has selected district Account Manager Val Seamons as interim finance manager, effective July 1. Seamons temporarily replaces longtime Finance Manager Mike Chatterton, whose retirement becomes effective June 30.
The district reported in a press release that Chatterton’s vacancy has been posted locally and nationally, but the position remains unfilled and national search firm Ray and Associates has been retained to help in the search for a permanent replacement.
The district further reported that Seamons has been employed by the district since 2003 and has “worked closely with Mr. Chatterton over the past years and has an intimate knowledge of BCSD finances and Idaho school finance.”
Seamons has a business management degree from Idaho State University. She lives in Hailey with her husband and has grown children who graduated from Wood River High School.
ZIONS BANK HELPS SENIOR CITIZENS STAY IN HOMES
As part of its annual Paint-a-Thon service project, Zions Bank is providing a makeover at the home of a 96-year-old Bellevue resident as part of a program in Idaho and Utah to help senior citizens and people with disabilities maintain their homes.
Work at the home of Esther Boyd on Tendoy Street was set to take place June 20-22. For the program, local Zions Bank employees will be providing a fresh coat of paint and sprucing up the landscaping.
Boyd’s home is one of 44 in Idaho and Utah involved in the bank’s Paint-a-Thon project this month. Zions Bank explained in a press release that the project is part of the bank’s commitment to help “senior citizens remain in their homes as long as possible, maintaining their independence, dignity and health.”
Paint-a-Thon is now in its 26th year. Zions Bank reported in a press release that 1,090 homes in Idaho and Utah have received needed work during the history of the program.
“Every year we enjoy rolling up our sleeves and helping our neighbors in need like Esther spruce up their homes and yards,” said Tracy Golob, Zions Bank Wood River Valley financial center manager and Paint-a-Thon team captain. “Not only is the project rewarding for both our employee volunteers and for our homeowners, but it aligns with Zions Bank’s mission to create value in our communities.”
ROBERT GATES FEATURED AT HIGHER GROUND FUNDRAISER
Higher Ground Sun Valley has announced that former U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates will be its keynote speaker at its annual “Hero’s Journey” fundraising dinner and auction at Golden Eagle Ranch on July 9.
Gates, appointed secretary of defense by President George W. Bush, is the only secretary of defense in U.S. history to be asked to remain in his post by a newly elected president. He also served as security of defense under President Barack Obama until 2011.
Gates is also former director of the CIA, former president of Texas A&M University, a former White House deputy national security advisor, president of the Boy Scouts of America and a recipient of the National Security Medal, the Presidential Citizens Medal, the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal and the CIA’s Distinguished Intelligence Medal.
Higher Ground reported in a press release that the Hero’s Journey fundraiser is almost sold out and will draw about 500 philanthropists from the Wood River Valley, nationally and worldwide.
Higher Ground is a nonprofit organization that uses innovative sports and recreation therapies to “enhance the quality of life for our injured military community and our local population of children, teens and adults with disabilities.”
Additional information on the organization is available at www.highergroundsv.org.
FERC SNUFFS BEAR RIVER DAM PROPOSAL
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on June 16 formally rejected an application by Twin Lakes Canal Company to build a 10-megawatt dam and hydro facility in the Bear River narrows east of Preston in southeast Idaho.
Idaho Rivers United, an environmental group opposed to the dam, reported in a June 16 press release that FERC denial came because of numerous environmental concerns, including inundation of a 4.5-mile stretch of Bear River that is a popular recreation area, destruction of “critical habitat for the imperiled Bonneville cutthroat trout,” negative impacts to up to 48 additional species of wildlife, and loss of 55 acres of a Bureau of Land Management area designated as a “Research Natural Area.”
“Today’s action ends a nearly 14-year fight to protect a unique and beautiful river canyon,” said Idaho Rivers United Executive Director Kevin Lewis. “For generations, local citizens have hunted, hiked, camped, fished and floated along this section of the Bear River. Now, future generations will be afforded the same opportunities.”
In addition to Idaho Rivers United, the dam proposal was opposed by American Whitewater, Rocky Mountain Power, Trout Unlimited, Greater Yellowstone Coalition, Franklin County Fish and Game Association and numerous local residents.
“We took this dam proposal seriously and are relieved and proud to have successfully defended another of Idaho’s special places,” Lewis said. “Meanwhile, we’re not surprised. This is part of a growing trend. Big dams aren’t being built in this day and age. They’re being torn down.”
SEAL COATING UNDERWAY AT GALENA SUMMIT
Work on a resurfacing project on State Highway 75 at Galena Summit north of Ketchum started Monday, June 20, and will continue for the next two weeks. The seal coating project is a continuation of highway work started in 2015.
The Idaho Transportation Department reported in a press release that drivers should be prepared for delays of up to 15 minutes and that traffic will be reduced to one lane during work hours from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. Drivers are advised to watch for flaggers and that a 35-mile-per-hour speed limit will be enforced throughout the construction zone.
Work this year consists of installing center-line rumble strips, seal coating the travel lanes and applying a fog coat to the highway shoulders.
The work is being done by Valley Paving of Bellevue through a $1.8 million contract.
SCHOOL DISTRICT HELPS FEED HUNGRY KIDS
The Blaine County School District announced that there are two locations for the Summer Food Service Program, which provides free meals to children 1-18 years of age.
Starting Monday, June 27, and running weekdays through Friday, Aug. 5, free breakfast and lunch will be served at Alturas Elementary School in conjunction with Power Scholars, a summer learning program the district is conducting in partnership with the Wood River Community YMCA. All children are invited, whether or not involved in the program. Meals will not be offered on July 4 and July 5.
Breakfast will be served from 8:30-9 a.m. and lunch from 12-1 p.m. Adults can purchase breakfast for $2.10 or lunch for $3.75. Alturas Elementary is located in south Woodside, in Hailey, at 1111 Alturas Lane.
The district, in partnership with The Hunger Coalition, began the Lunch in the Park program, proving free sack lunches, on Monday. The program runs weekdays, with the exception of July 4, until Friday, Aug. 19. Lunch is served from 12-1 p.m. at the Balmoral apartments playfield in south Woodside, in Hailey, at 851 Shenandoah Drive. Adults can purchase a meal for $1.
The school district’s Summer Food Service Program is funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
ORE WAGON MUSEUM SOLAR PANELS GO ON GRID
The City of Ketchum reported earlier this month that solar panels recently installed at the Ore Wagon Museum on East Avenue have began feeding energy into the local electrical grid.
The panels were installed under a cooperative agreement between the city and OWM Solar, a private investor. OWM Solar owns the panels and the city leases the museum roof and benefits from the electricity generated with a 10 percent reduction in power costs.
“Solar energy is another addition to Ketchum’s growing sustainability and quality of life,” said Ketchum Mayor Nina Jonas.
Hour-by-hour kilowatt production reports, which vary depending upon time of day and atmospheric conditions, can be viewed by the public at www.ketchumidaho.org/OWMenergy.
ARTISTS WANTED FOR WAGON DAYS POSTER
The City of Ketchum has issued a call for artists for the annual Wagon Days poster. Past selections have included photographs, collages, pastels, watercolors and oil paintings.
The city reported in a press release that the project is open to artists 18 or older, regardless of “state of residence, race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, or disability.” Artists are ineligible if they have been selected for prior Wagon Days posters.
The selected artist will receive a $250 stipend and ride in the Wagon Days parade.
The deadline for submitting proposals, which may include sketches of the work, is July 6. Submissions will be reviewed by the Wagon Days poster committee the week of July 11. The selected artist will be notified by July 15. Aug. 1 is the deadline for the artists to submit a poster for printing.
Additional information is available from event coordinator Heather LaMonica Deckard at heather@sunvalleyevents.com. Proposals need to be emailed to Deckard, mailed to her at P.O. Box 871, Ketchum, ID 83340, or hand-delivered to Ketchum City Hall at 480 East Ave. N.
The annual Wagon Days celebration will be held in Ketchum on Labor Day weekend, Sept. 2-5.
KETCHUM WATER CONSERVATION SCHEDULE BEGINS
The City of Ketchum’s water use restrictions for outdoor plantings, including grass, lawns, gardens, ground cover, shrubbery, trees or other landscaping, began on June 15 and lasts until Sept. 1. The restrictions, per city ordinance, prohibit sprinkling and watering between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Exceptions may apply for use of drip or bubble-style irrigation systems or for new plantings. Contact the city’s Public Works Utilities Division at (208) 726-7825 to request an exemption.
Commercial nurseries are specifically included from the prohibitions and restrictions of the ordinance.
KETCHUM REMINDS DRIVERS OF CELLPHONE BAN
The City of Ketchum has installed signs at street entrances to the city reminding drivers that the use of cellphones or other hand-held devices is prohibited in the city while driving. The city announced that lighted message boards will also be installed.
The hand-held device ban, approved by the Ketchum City Council on April 4, provides for a $100 fine if a citation is issued. However, for the first year, police will issue warnings instead of citations.
The city reported in the press release that it is only one of two cities in Idaho to ban the use of hand-held cellphones or devices while driving. The City of Sandpoint is the other. The City of Bellevue is currently considering passing a similar ordinance.
KETCHUM GIVING AWAY USED COMPUTER EQUIPMENT
The City of Ketchum announced on June 17 that it will donate used computer equipment to people in need or to nonprofit organizations. Several computers, monitors, printers and speakers are available.
The city reported in a press release that it “no longer needs the equipment as it has determined that it can save money by leasing the latest technology equipment rather than purchasing and maintaining it.”
Anyone interested should contact the city at (208) 726-3841 or at participate@ketchumidaho.org. The deadline for requesting equipment is July 1. A list of available equipment is available at www.ketchumidaho.org under the Special Projects tab.
ANIMAL SHELTER SETS ‘DOG DAYS’ FUNDRAISER
The Animal Shelter of the Wood River Valley will hold its annual Dog Days of Summer Benefit Gala on Saturday, July 16, at the Trail Creek Pavilion at Sun Valley Resort.
The event is the largest single source of income for the Shelter, Idaho’s first “no-kill” shelter that relies almost entirely on private donations and grants. Since opening in 1982, the Shelter has provided homes for almost 13,000 dogs and cats. The Shelter also promotes reducing animal abuse, neglect and overpopulation through community education and spay-neuter services.
The “Dog Days” fundraiser will feature live and silent auction items, a “birdhouse festival” and live music. A complete list of auction items is available at the Shelter website at www.animalshelterwrv.org/dogdays, and includes an African safari, a “golf getaway” at The Breakers in Palm Beach, Fla., and 2016 “Dog Days” original artwork by Jennifer Bellinger.
Tickets for the fundraiser, and additional information on the Shelter, is available at (208) 788-4351 or at the Shelter website.
DEFENDANT PLEADS NOT GUILTY IN DOG DEATH
A 46-year-old Ketchum man has pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor animal cruelty charge for allegedly causing the death of a young dog in Ketchum on June 4.
Matthew Michael Muer entered his plea through his attorney, Douglas Nelson, who also appeared for Muer at arraignment in Blaine County Magistrate Court on June 8.
According to court records, Muer has requested a jury trial but a trial had not yet been scheduled as of Tuesday. However a pretrial conference has been set for July 18 before Judge Jennifer L.K. Haemmerle.
Muer is currently free on $500 bond. He is charged with a misdemeanor crime officially known as “animals-carry in a cruel manner.”
According to a Ketchum police report, Muer allegedly dragged an English bulldog puppy behind his bicycle at about 12 p.m. on Saturday, June 4, near the intersection of Warm Springs Road and Lewis Street in northwest Ketchum. Police reported that Muer said he was unaware that the dog, which had been trailing Muer, had fallen and was being dragged until he was told by a witness. The animal later died at a local veterinarian’s office.
POLICE CONDUCT ALOHOL COMPLIANCE STING
A local police task force conducted alcohol sales compliance checks at 18 businesses in the Wood River Valley on Friday, July 17, to determine if alcohol could be illegally purchased by a person under the age of 21.
Ketchum Police Chief Dave Kassner, who coordinated the operation, reported Monday that 16 businesses passed the test and two businesses failed.
Businesses that declined to sell alcohol to underage persons were Splash & Dash, Oasis, Valley Country Store, Atkinsons’ Market in Bellevue, Hailey Chevron, Base Camp Hailey, Albertsons, Stinker Station, Muleshoe Tavern, Valley Car Wash, Atkinsons’ Market in Hailey, Valley Co-op, Sun Valley Deli, Base Camp Warm Springs and Veltex Market.
Kassner reported that businesses that allegedly failed the test were Chapalita’s Grill in Hailey and The Village Market in Ketchum.
“The people that sold the alcohol were cited for Idaho Code 23-603, ‘sell, give or furnish to person under 21 YOA,’” Kassner stated. “This charge is a misdemeanor.”
Kassner reported that police also conducted “shoulder taps,” to see if people of age would purchase alcohol for a group of minors.
“None of the people asked bought alcohol for them,” Kassner stated.
Participating in the operation were the Blaine County Sheriff’s Office and the Hailey, Ketchum and Sun Valley police departments.