Hot Mic Burns BCSD Trustees
Prior to a Blaine County School District board meeting held online Monday, trustees Lara Stone, Dan Turner, board president Keith Roark, and superintendent GwenCarol Holmes were broadcasting live, but unaware of it. The hot mic incident, in which the trustees and Holmes were discussing opinions expressed by mayors at a recent town hall on all things COVID, was met with umbrage by at least some Valley residents who have been vocal online and in messages to Wood River Weekly.
“Condescending” and “elitist” were some of the adjectives used to describe the back and forth, primarily between Stone and Holmes, when discussing Ketchum Mayor Neil Bradshaw’s “lecture” on the “danger” of masks and Carey Mayor Randy Patterson’s denial of a local COVID problem as Holmes described it.
“One mayor told us everything was fine in his community even though I know there are eight cases there right now,” Holmes said, referring to Carey.
While there are moments that feel by any objective measure at least a bit caddy or gossipy, the BCSD officials caught on tape are discussing COVID-related matters with a level of earnesty, too. More importantly, the candid discussion shows the level of frustration leadership at the district is having with what is undeniably one of the most challenging reopening efforts by similar organizations across the country—how to safely restart schooling.
“Why are we busting our backsides for this?” asked Holmes rhetorically. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t sleep last night, so I’m grumpy.”
Rupert Native, Rising Star To Perform At The Argyros
Rising opera star Cecilia Violetta López, who was recently named Opera Idaho’s 2019-2020 Artist of the Year, comes to Sun Valley to perform for the first time at the Argyros Performing Arts Center. Accompanied by Nathan Salazar, Cecilia’s recital will be filled with French, German, Russian and Spanish art songs.
Opera News has named López one of opera’s “25 Rising Stars.” Most recently, USA Today named Lopez one of Idaho’s Top 10 Most Influential Women of the Century.
López, a soprano, made her Opera Idaho debut as Gilda in Rigoletto (2014). With Opera Idaho, she performed her signature role of Violetta in La Traviata (2016) and debuted in the title role in Manon (2019), Maria in West Side Story in Concert (2018), and Adina in L’elisird’amore (2017). She got her musical start at a young age singing mariachi music that she learned from her mother.
Lopez went on to earn a Bachelor of Music degree (vocal performance) from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, in 2011. She has received accolades for her performances from The New York Times, The Washington Post, has been featured on NPR, Idaho Public Television, Univision and Telemundo, and many other news outlets across the country.
Lopez has become a voice for her art form and constantly shares the story of her Idahoan roots, humble upbringing, hard work and career’s trajectory. She is now on the artist roster of the Metropolitan Opera, has sung at Carnegie Hall, she has an exhibit at the Idaho State Museum and an additional exhibit at the Minidoka County Historical Society Museum in her hometown of Rupert. Lopez is also the recipient of an Idaho State Concurrent Resolution honoring her life as an Idahoan and her work in the world of opera.
Mayor Burke Clamps Down On Hailey Businesses, COVID
Hailey has adopted a new public health order in the face of rising COVID-19 cases which threaten to affect the capacity of medical facilities in southern Idaho to treat patients.
Using recommendations from the City of Hailey’s adopted COVID Risk Suppression Plan, the Hailey City Council voted unanimously last week to strengthen mask requirements, group-size limits for both public and private spaces, and physical-distance guidelines for businesses operating during the pandemic.
Specifics are available on the City of Hailey website (haileycityhall.org/documents), but Mayor Martha Burke also sent a letter to Hailey businesses summarizing the new orders which went into effect on Oct. 14. The measures include:
Face masks or face shields must be worn by all people occupying a public space with another person, subject to limited exceptions.
Hand washing/sanitizing must be available and used at entrances to each business.
A minimum of 6 feet must be maintained between people within the same room in all businesses, which will limit the room occupancy to a maximum of one person for each 64 square feet of room space. There are no exceptions to this requirement.
Indoor group sizes may not exceed 10 people, unless one of the exemptions within the attached Order applies.
Outdoor group sizes may not exceed 50 people, unless one of the exemptions within the attached Order applies.
All businesses are required to post signage at each entrance in English and Spanish, which states that face coverings and hand washing/sanitization are required to enter and 6-foot distancing must be maintained within each business.
There are no exceptions to the signage requirement. Businesses are prohibited from serving customers who do not comply with face coverings and distancing regulations, with penalties resulting in business closure when businesses are noncompliant.
Committee On Aging To Present Longevity Series
The Blaine County Aging Friendly Committee is partnering with The Community Library to present the Navigating Longevity Speaker Series. This group of virtual talks addresses timely topics to consider as folks prepare for life transitions for themselves or their loved ones.
The series is available online at The Community Library’s livestream portal,
livestream.com/comlib. The presenters were originally slated to speak at the Navigating Longevity Summit scheduled in April. The conference was cancelled due to the isolation orders in Blaine County.
This year’s presentations are:
- “Live, Love and Leave Well” with Kate Riley, Certified Death Midwife—A 15-minute presentation empowering listeners to make choices about living and dying. Kate shares personal stories, discusses the importance of finding meaning and purpose in the context of COVID-19, and gives us some questions to consider in preparing to make decisions about the very human event of dying.
- “Caregiving Support and How the Pandemic Has Changed Everything” with Shawna Wasko, M.OLP, CSI Office on Aging—A 26-minute presentation discussing how caregiving has changed in the context of COVID-19. Wasko discusses how caregivers can be supported, the importance of not becoming isolated or burned out, and how we can all approach the grief that accompanies a long goodbye.
- “Advance Directives in the Time of COVID” by Lisa Wild, R.N., CHPN, Wood River Hospice and Palliative Care—A 35-minute presentation that will help you understand what an advance directive is, when and how to complete or adjust your directive, what to consider, who to talk to, and what resources are available to you.
Ketchum Bans Demolitions, For Now
Reacting to concerns from residents over what has been described as “the loss of Ketchum’s character,” the city council decided Monday night, on a 3–2 vote, to issue a 90-day emergency ordinance banning the demolition of any potentially historically significant sites in the zoning area known as the community core.
The action by the council means that the city will now open up a community conversation on how best to preserve cultural heritage while not stepping on private property rights or triggering safety concerns in instances where some older buildings need to be torn down.
Citing legal process concerns and private property rights issues, councilmembers Amanda Breen and Michael David cast the dissenting votes.
City leaders say there have been development inquiries on multiple properties currently on the city’s Heritage Site List and that its Planning and Zoning Commission has reviewed several projects over the summer involving demolition of culturally significant structures. An emergency ordinance will prohibit the demolition of historic structures for 90 days, allowing time for the city to update the survey and engage the community for feedback and direction on next steps.
Ketchum Mayor Bradshaw and city staff explained that the emergency order—rather than an interim order or city ordinance change—would prevent a rush in applications for demolition permits that could be grandfathered in.
“We’re going to hit the pause button until we’ve had some time to take a look at all the tools to see how we can help our community,” said Bradshaw, who voted in favor of the ordinance. “This is going to be a very important conversation for the community. We need to ask ourselves what we want to do.”