Head-on accident occurs near Timmerman
A head-on collision on State Highway 75 landed two people in area hospitals. At approximately 5:10 p.m. Wednesday, July 6, multiple deputies from the Blaine County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a two-vehicle crash near milepost 97, approximately 13 miles south of Bellevue and three miles south of Timmerman Hill. Geraldine Helm, 49, of Twin Falls, driving a black 2014 Volkswagen Passat, was traveling south. Daniel Jerke, 28, of Kimberly, driving a red 1995 Ford Explorer, was traveling north. Helm and Jerke collided head on.
There were no fatalities and no other passengers in either vehicle. Both drivers received injuries. Jerke was transported to St. Luke’s Magic Valley Medical Center in Twin Falls by Wood River Ambulance. Helm was transported by air ambulance to St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise.
State Highway 75 was completely closed for approximately two hours during rush-hour traffic while first responders from Wood River Fire and Rescue extricated Helm from her vehicle. Traffic was diverted to Highway 20.
The vehicles collided on the pavement but came to rest off the west shoulder of Highway 75. Both vehicles had extensive front-end damage and airbag deployment. This crash is still under investigation and no citations have been issued at this time.
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ITD will hold meeting on Timmerman Junction
The Idaho Transportation Department will hold a community advisory committee meeting 10 a.m. Thursday, July 14 to gather additional input about potential future safety improvements for U.S. 20 and Idaho 75 at the Timmerman Junction intersection. Comments from the meeting will be used to further develop safety alternatives for the project.
The meeting is open to the public and will be held at the Blaine County Courthouse in Hailey. ITD will present and gather input on potential safety improvements being studied for Timmerman Junction.
“ITD is committed to involving the community in enhancing safety at this critical intersection,” said project manager Bruce Christensen. “The advisory committee is an opportunity for our technical team to work hand in hand with community members.”
This will be the second meeting of the Timmerman Junction study advisory committee. ITD introduced the study and alternatives at the first advisory meeting in April. A third advisory committee meeting will be held this fall. All meetings are open to the public.
The Timmerman Junction study will allow ITD to identify, evaluate and recommend safety improvement concepts for the intersection. The study will build upon previous improvements and planning efforts, and consider recommendations from previous federal, state and local planning efforts.
Kittelson & Associates, Inc., of Boise, is leading the study in close coordination with staff from ITD District 4 and Blaine County. For more information, visit https://itd.idaho.gov/projects/d4/US20_ID75_IntersectionStudy/.
Insurance award benefits Crisis Hotline
Wood River Insurance has earned a “Make More Happen Award” – and $4,000 for the Crisis Hotline – from Safeco Insurance, a member of Liberty Mutual Group, based in Seattle. The Hailey insurance company’s mission includes a mandate to give back to the community, making it stronger in a way that benefits us all.
Wood River Insurance was selected for the award because of its volunteer work with the Crisis Hotline. The award includes a $4,000 donation from Safeco to the Crisis Hotline.
WRI now needs help increasing that donation. If just 50 different individuals go to www.safeco.com and leave a comment, the Crisis Hotline will be awarded an additional $1,000.
The project with the Crisis Hotline included volunteering with their Teen Outreach Program, and handing out educational information at the high schools and middle schools.
Safeco will name 66 “Make More Happen Award” winners this year. To find out more ways to be involved with the Crisis Hotline, visit www.thecrisishotline.org.
Fundraising golf tourney to celebrate 40 years and new ED
Courtesy photo
The Killebrew-Thompson Memorial Golf Tournament will celebrate its 40th anniversary Aug. 17-20. Founded in 1976 by Hall of Fame baseball legend and Idaho native Harmon Killebrew and Idaho Congressman Ralph Harding, the Killebrew-Thompson Memorial has become one of the leading fundraisers of its kind for cancer research. Killebrew wanted to honor his former Minnesota Twins teammate, Danny Thompson, who died of leukemia at the age of 29.
The KTM tournament also announces its new executive director, Hannah Stauts, and event coordinator, Stephanie Carlson. Stauts, a former mayor of Stanley, served as the KTM tournament event coordinator for the past two years.
“I’m so pleased and honored to assume the position of executive director for KTM, especially during a milestone year celebrating 40 years of raising funds for cancer research,” Stauts said.
The KTM has raised more than $14 million for cancer research since its inception, and in 2015 broke records raising $950,000 that was donated to the event’s two beneficiaries, St. Luke’s Mountain States Tumor Institute in Boise and the Masonic Cancer Center at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.
For nearly four decades, the Killebrew-Thompson Memorial Golf Tournament has gathered celebrities, members of Congress and large corporate sponsors in Sun Valley to enjoy four days of activities that benefit advancements in cancer research. Funds donated to MSTI and the University of Minnesota are leveraged nearly fivefold with federal and other grant programs helping to increase the KTM contribution to the million-dollar level annually.
For more information visit www.killebrewthompsonmemorial.com.
Car versus pedestrians, Round 1
Two pedestrians were struck by a gold 1983 Mercedes 300 at 2 a.m. Sunday, July 10 in Ketchum. The couple was standing on Main Street in front of Whiskey Jacques’ at the time of the accident. Officers from the Ketchum Police Department were dispatched to the vehicle-versus-pedestrian crash at 211 N. Main Street. The female was transported to St. Luke’s Medical Center with multiple broken bones and internal injuries. She was later transported by air ambulance to St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise. The male was treated at the scene and released.
When the investigating officer spoke to the driver of the Mercedes, Megan E. Jones, 21, of Hailey, they noticed “…the odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from her person. Her speech was slurred and her eyes were glassy and bloodshot,” said Ketchum Police Chief Dave Kassner in a press release.
As part of the on-scene investigation, Jones performed standard field sobriety tests. She was unable to pass those tests and was subsequently arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, then transported to the Blaine County Public Safety Facility for testing. Jones’ breath samples registered .23/.22, which is well above the legal limit of .08.
Jones was arrested for aggravated DUI and was arraigned on Monday, July 11.
Culvert replacements and bridge rehabilitation work
A 10-mile-long paving project paired with two culvert replacements and bridge rehabilitation work begins Monday, July 18 along State Highway 75 in southern Blaine County. The pavement-preservation project will extend the life of the existing roadway and the Richfield Canal bridge.
The initial phase of the project will replace a storm water culvert and rebuild the roadway at another culvert near milepost 100 about two miles south of the U.S. 20 intersection at Timmerman Junction. At both existing culvert crossings, the roadway foundation has settled, resulting in cracking and a dip. Repairs and rehabilitation will also take place on the bridge over the Richfield Canal and the driving surface.
During the first phase of the project, traffic will be reduced to one lane at each location with temporary traffic signals controlling the flow of traffic through the work zones. Drivers can expect minor delays up to five minutes long at each location.
Following bridge and culvert work, an asphalt overlay will be placed over the entire stretch of Highway 75 between the Richfield Canal and the U.S. 20 intersection. The project will improve roadway smoothness and protect against additional roadway cracking.
Traffic will be reduced to a single lane through the active work area of the construction zone. Drivers should watch for flaggers and expect delays of up to 15 minutes. A pilot car will be in operation and a 15-foot width limit will be in effect.
All paving should be completed by the end of August. A seal coat will be applied to the roadway in 2017.
The $1.75 million project is under contract with Idaho Materials and Construction, of Twin Falls.
Chip Sealing to take place
Blaine County Road and Bridge will conduct chip-seal projects on Tuesday, July 26. The project includes the following streets:
Broadway Run, Greenhorn Gulch Road, Golden Eagle Road, Foothill Drive, Hospital Drive and Timber Way.
The public is asked to do the following:
- Do not park or store items in the right-of-way
- Use caution on loose chips
- Follow all traffic control directions
Questions may be directed to Andrea Walton with Administrative Services at (208) 788-5543.
Come early for screenings
The Sun Valley Jewish Film Festival showed its first film Monday at the Community School auditorium. Seating was completely full. Because the doors to the theater were closed at 5:45 p.m., approximately 50 people were unable to be seated and view the film. People are urged to come at least 15 minutes early to ensure they have a seat. Admission is free.
The next screening will be at 6 p.m. Monday, July 18. This will be a double feature, beginning with “Oskar & Jack,” a fascinating story of identical twins separated shortly after birth; one was raised in Germany as a Nazi Youth while the other grew up a Jew in Trinidad. The second film, “Shooting for Home,” is the true story of Kevin Bradshaw, an overlooked professional basketball player who discovered a new life in Israel.
For more information, visit www.sunvalleyjewishfilmfestival.org
49th Summer Competition boasts record number of participants
Attracting top-level skaters from all over the country, 42 different figure skating clubs in 12 states and 30 Sun Valley Figure Skating Club members will compete at the 49th Summer Competition in Sun Valley, Thursday, July 21 through Sunday, July 24.
The program will include four days of competitive figure skating, with events for female and male skaters ranging from 4 years to adults. The final day, Sunday, July 24, will feature “showcase” events on the outdoor rink. Skaters’ programs are judged based on their entertainment value. As such, the events are very fun to watch and make for great photo opportunities. Additionally, this is the first year that solo dance events will be included as part of the USFS National Solo Dance Series. Admission to all events is free.
For more information visit www.sunvalleyfsc.org or sirvine@sunvalley.com
Proposed gas station decision postponed
At a Ketchum Planning and Zoning Commission meeting Monday night, the proposal for a gas station and convenience store at the north end of Ketchum on Highway 75 was revisited. For this, a third hearing to gain a conditional use permit, the developers submitted a pedestrian and traffic study. Comments taken from the community were limited to three minutes each. Many questioned whether Ketchum needs another gas station, while others expressed concern about the development’s visual impact at Ketchum’s northern entry, as well as the health, safety and general welfare of the community.
According to people who attended, it was very contentious meeting. Steve Cook, chair of the Ketchum P&Z, recused himself, since he is the architect of record for the Bracken Station, and presented on behalf of the developers.
The next hearing will be held at 5:30 p.m., Monday, July 25 at Ketchum City Hall.