Health District Spices Up Flu Shot Program
Tis the season for wonderful things, but the flu is not one of them.
In the spirit of giving, the South Central Public Health District has stocked up on flu mist and flu shots for every boy and girl in town, and anyone else who wants one.
This year, to make the scene more festive, Wide Awake Dreaming is donating costumed Christmas characters, superheroes or princesses ready to pose with guests and pass out candy canes.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has stated that with COVID looming, a flu shot can be especially helpful to stay healthy. The flu season ramps up in December and can continue through May. Living in a high tourist area makes this population vulnerable to travelers from different flu seasons. If you have been planning a trip abroad to carry you out of COVID’s wrath, the district provides vaccines for wherever you are traveling.
Vaccines are administered by appointment only by calling 208-788-4335. Clinics are held every Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Bellevue office, 117 E. Ash St.
The public is asked to wear face coverings and adhere to the guidelines of social distancing. Most insurance is accepted. The shot or mist is $20 without insurance.
Es la temporada de cosas maravillosas, pero la gripe no es una de ellas.
Con el espíritu de dar, el Centro de Salud se ha abastecido de neblina y vacunas contra la gripe para cada niño y niña de la ciudad.
Este año, para hacer la escena más festiva, habrá personajes navideños, superhéroes y princesas posando con los invitados (se practicará el distanciamiento social) y repartiendo bastones de caramelo.
Los Centros para el Control de Enfermedades han declarado que con el COVID que se avecina, una vacuna contra la gripe puede ser especialmente útil para mantenerse saludable. La temporada de gripe comienza en diciembre y puede continuar hasta mayo.
Al vivir en una zona de gran turismo, los viajeros de diferentes temporadas de gripe pueden convertir el valle en un sitio para todo el año.
Si ha estado planeando un viaje al extranjero para librarse de la ira de COVID, el distrito proporciona vacunas para cualquier lugar al que viaje,
Las vacunas se administran con cita previa llamando al 208-788-4335. Las clínicas se llevan a cabo todos los jueves de 9 a.m. a 4:30 p.m. en la oficina de Bellevue. 117 E. Ash St.
Affordable Housing Project Awarded Tax Credit Funding
GMD Development LLC, in partnership with Ketchum Community Development Corporation (KCDC), has received a reservation of competitive 9 percent tax credits from the Idaho Housing and Finance Association (IHFA) 2021 Low Income Housing Tax Credit program funding round for the Bluebird Village community housing development.
This reservation will enable the development to move forward and utilize several other funding sources, including 4 percent tax credits, tax-exempt bonds, solar tax credits, City of Ketchum in-lieu housing funds and the Ketchum Urban Renewal Agency. The project site will be leased from the City of Ketchum.
The development team plans to conduct community outreach to review conceptual plans and gather public input on the design. Once the design is ready, an application will be submitted, and the development will go through the city’s design review and entitlement process.
The 9 percent and 4 percent tax credits will create approximately $12.1 million in equity financing for the development of approximately 56 units of affordable rental housing on the current City Hall site in downtown Ketchum. Without local support and funding for the development, this multiyear effort to obtain the competitive federal tax credit funding could not have been achieved. Tax credit equity and other project debt financing will leverage the local funding and contributions by nearly 3.5 times.
“Getting approval on tax credits for Ketchum has been challenging,” said GMD owner Greg Dunfield. “This was our third attempt in as many years and our perseverance has finally paid off.”
Ketchum Community Invited To Make History
The City of Ketchum has begun an outreach program to bolster its historic preservation project. A questionnaire and Doodle poll will be launched on the city website where people can sign up for virtual small-group sessions starting Dec. 2.
In October, Ketchum City Council adopted an emergency ordinance to place a 90-day pause on the demolition of structures in downtown Ketchum. The purpose of the ordinance is to address the potential loss of key historic resources associated with redevelopment in the downtown core. That came on the heels of the city receiving over 160 responses to its initial community survey conducted in the fall. The results represented support for preservation of buildings representative of Ketchum’s character.
“This is a significant topic to consider,” Mayor Neil Bradshaw said. “It is important to plan the future of Ketchum by paying homage to the past.”
Moving into December, the city will begin the conversation on practical solutions to preserve Ketchum’s character-defining features in the downtown, while also ensuring future growth over time. Residents can join the city in discussing the realm of possibilities and learn more about what other Western communities have considered and implemented.
This effort will influence a potential interim ordinance to be in effect for one year. The city will ask for feedback on the creation of a complete program that includes baseline protections.
All this will set the foundation for future public opportunities to begin in January, when the city and community will delve deeper into features and characteristics to help build potential programs and design guidelines to further the preservation efforts. These features may include incentives, guidelines, and other tools for protection that will be part of a permanent ordinance.
If you desire to join the discussion, please sign up on the Doodle poll on Dec. 2 at www.ketchumidaho.org/communityconversations for a virtual small-group session. If you have questions or you are unable to participate via this method of communication, please email participate@ketchumidaho.org or call (208) 726-7803.
Community School Launches Book, Speaker Series
Sun Valley Community School Parents’ Association will host a virtual book discussion via Zoom with New York Times best-selling author Jessica Lahey on Dec. 3 at 12 p.m. The discussion kicks off the Parents’ Association’s inaugural Book + Speaker Series—a free event open to the community.
Guests are encouraged to read Lahey’s best-selling book, “The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed.” Guests can go to communityschool.org/news/events for the Zoom link to join the meeting. The Book + Speaker Series is a new program offered by the Parents’ Association. Future author discussions will include authors Laura Markham (Feb. 18) and Dr. Michele Borba (April 29).
In the book, Lahey lays out a blueprint with targeted advice for handlinghomework, report cards, social dynamics, and sports. She also sets forth a plan to help parents learn to step back and embrace their children’s failures.
Lahey is a teacher, writer, and mother. Over 20 years, she’s taught every grade fromsixth to12th in both public and private schools. She writes about education, parenting, and child welfare for The Atlantic, Vermont Public Radio, The Washington Post and The New York Times.
Game (Dinner) On For Ski Foundation
It is ‘game on’ for the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation’s 44th annual Wild Game Dinner, to be held Dec. 5.
Although the gathering won’t be in person this year, the nonprofit organization dedicated to providing snowsports programs for Valley youth says community spirit and camaraderie are still at the heart of the event. The SVSEF Wild Game Dinner will be held in a virtual livestream broadcast from Rotarun Ski Area.
Executive Director Scott McGrew and NBC Sports Analyst Steve Porino (a SVSEF board member) will host the event, which centers around the so-called Rip-A-Thon. Team members from every discipline—alpine, cross-country, big mountain, freestyle, freeski and snowboard—will be working together to gain the most vertical feet possible to raise money for SVSEF programming.
Fundraising by the athletes is now under way. To support their efforts, please go to givebutter.com/rotarun.
Thanks to the generosity of sponsors, SVSEF will also offer its popular silent auction. To take part in the auction, visit svsef.org/events/2020-wild-game-dinner and click “Register for the Auction” to receive an event code. Items may be bid on using the givi app on your smartphone once you have received your event code. The auction will close at 9 p.m. the night of the Game Dinner. Event highlights include bingo for airline miles, a raffle drawing, curated team videos, silent auction and a paddle up.
The Game Dinner experience will be enhanced by a carefully curated in-home Game Dinner. “To-Goat” Boxed Game Dinners, prepared by Warfield Distillery & Brewery, will be delivered ready to heat and eat. The main course is a quartet of sausages with smoked elk, duck with cranberries, wild boar with anise, and venison with black pepper, all served with housemade grain mustard. Accompaniments include wild foraged mushroom rillette with white truffle oil, butter-roasted Yukon Gold potatoes, Bavarian sauerkraut with black caraway, sweet dark and light baguettes, and dessert from Rasberrys. Beverages include a six-pack of Warfield beer and a bottle of wine of your choice.
“To-Goat” Game Dinner tickets are available at svsef.org/events/2020-wild-game-dinner
and are $200 for dinner for two. For details, please contact Event Director Amanda Porino at aporino@svsef.org or (208) 726-4129.
WARNING/REMINDER: Fireplaces, Woodstoves Can Cause Structure Fires
On the heels of two local structure fires, the Ketchum Rural Fire Protection District has issued a warning about fireplaces and woodburning stoves.
In recent weeks, fire departments have fought and extinguished two separate structure fires. One incident was caused by a chimney fire that extended into the attic of the home, and the other fire was caused by the inappropriate disposal of hot ashes from the home’s fireplace.
With cooler temperatures and the winter season upon us, more and more fires will be lit in homes throughout Blaine County. Fire district officials are recommending that you dispose of ashes in a noncombustible container and have your chimney professionally inspected on an annual basis.