Valley decision-making bodies continue to deal with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Blaine County’s average new case rate trended upward again last week and the positive rate has also jumped. That, along with COVID-19 variants being detected and confirmed in Idaho, means the risk level here officially ranks “high.”
That’s one reason at least the Sun Valley City Council voted to extend its mask-wearing mandate through June. There are a number of exemptions to the mandate, but violations bring with them a $100 fine.
Meanwhile, Blaine County School District trustees—on a split 3–2 vote—opted to not return to the five-day, in-person school week any time soon for its high- and middle-schoolers. Elementary schools will return to fully in-person learning April 12.
Trustees weighed the benefits of the resources offered on Fridays versus the benefits of a traditional classroom structure. In the end, trustees Lara Stone, Dan Turner and Gretchen Gorham decided one less change in a year of changes was for the best, especially considering the high number of students taking advantage of one-on-one instruction offered on Fridays.