{"id":13060,"date":"2020-02-19T00:02:06","date_gmt":"2020-02-19T07:02:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/?p=13060"},"modified":"2020-02-19T00:02:06","modified_gmt":"2020-02-19T07:02:06","slug":"news-in-brief-9","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/2020\/02\/19\/news-in-brief-9\/","title":{"rendered":"News In Brief"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"p1\"><b>SV Film Festival, Ford Announce $25K \u2018Pitch Fest\u2019 Grant<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">The Sun Valley Film Festival (SVFF) is once again partnering with Ford Motor Company as its presenting sponsor. In the spirit of the festival\u2019s mission of celebrating the producer, this year the partnership takes this emphasis to the next level by establishing the Ford Pitch Fest at the Sun Valley Film Festival; specifically, where producers will have a chance to pitch their project to receive a $25,000 Producers Grant.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">This is Ford\u2019s third year participating in the festival, which is now in its ninth edition, taking place March 18\u201322.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">Submissions are now being accepted from producers with a project in development. Three finalists will be selected to receive a one-on-one mentoring session with an expert pitch coach, a filmmaker pass to the festival with invites to select insider events and networking opportunities, round-trip flight from Los Angeles and two nights of lodging, with the ultimate opportunity to pitch their project to a panel of award-winning producers in front of an audience during the festival.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">Panelists include Effie T. Brown (producer, Dear White People and Real Women Have Curves), Jim Burke (Academy Award-winning producer of last year\u2019s Best Picture winner Green Book), Michael Burns (vice chairman, Lionsgate), and Heather Rae (producer, Bull and Frozen River). Actor, producer and writer Will McCormack will host the event.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">\u201cWe are certain that Ford Pitch Fest will become another of the festival\u2019s must-attend events and that it will engage a new generation of talented and creative producers,\u201d Al Uzielli, head of Ford Global Branded Entertainment, said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">Applicants can submit through Film Freeway and Submittable and review submissions requirements and deadlines via the festival website.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">Teddy Grennan, executive director of the Sun Valley Film Festival, said, \u201cWe started this festival to bring together filmmakers and industry guests with our unique audiences. Through this grant we hope to inspire some of the future producers of tomorrow to complete their projects for the big screen and hopefully come back to the festival next year.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">Also new this year, Ford will host a themed street party during the festival titled \u201cMain St. Salutes a Legend\u201d in celebration of the return of the Legendary Bronco. Vintage Broncos from each decade will be parked along the block with descriptions of each car on display, where partygoers will be able to walk around and explore each car before voting on their favorite. Guests will also be invited to dress as their favorite legend, whatever that means to them, and enter a costume contest to win prizes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><b>Public Comments Sought\u00a0 For Pettit Lake Project<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">The Sawtooth National Recreation Area (NRA) of the Sawtooth National Forest is seeking public comments on the project proposal for the Pettit Lake Creek Weir Project.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Sawtooth NRA is considering the proposal under an Environmental Assessment. The purpose of this 30-day comment period is to provide an opportunity for the public to provide meaningful input on the proposed action prior to a decision being made.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of Fort Hall have requested that the Sawtooth National Forest authorize construction of a weir fish trap, located in Pettit Lake Creek, that replaces an existing weir built in 1995. The plan is to construct the new weir in the same general location as the existing weir. Construction will include a new sill, new abutments, and a small parking area and walkway adjacent to the creek. Another part of the proposed work is to remove the two concrete abutments of a nonfunctional rough fish barrier upstream of the weir.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of Fort Hall have also requested the issuance of a 20-year special use permit for continued operation and maintenance of the Pettit Lake Creek Weir. The Bonneville Power Administration will fund the construction of the weir.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">The deciding official is Forest Supervisor Jim DeMaagd. The NOPA is available for review at fs.usda.gov\/project\/?project=57096. A printed copy of the NOPA can be mailed upon request by contacting Whitney Burgess, Sawtooth NRA Headquarters, at (208) 727-5008 or whitney.n.burgess@usda.gov.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><b>A Letter From The Sun Valley Mayor\u00a0 On The Passing Of Dave Syferd<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">It is with deep regret and sadness that I am writing to inform you that Dave Syferd passed away last week.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">Dave was in an accident that was related to a health condition that ultimately resulted in his passing.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">Dave had a long history with tourism promotion in Sun Valley, working with the Chamber of Commerce through his successful advertising and public relations Seattle-based agency. He served as the City of Sun Valley\u2019s representative on the Sun Valley Marketing Alliance Board from January 2017 to October 2019.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">Dave was not only a fine professional that contributed to the success of the Alliance but was also a caring and cheerful neighbor. Oftentimes we would meet in our backyards over a glass of wine and discuss all topics under the sun. When I asked him to be our rep. on the board, he accepted immediately and continued in that position when he moved from Sun Valley.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">The City is grateful for his dedication and I personally will miss his friendship.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">\u2014Sun Valley Mayor Peter Hendricks<\/p>\n<p><strong>Two Sun Valley Community School Students Named National Merit Scholarship Finalists<\/strong><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_13061\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-13061\" style=\"width: 400px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13061\" src=\"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/NM-FinalistsElla-Kopplin-Johnny-Hagenbuch-1-400x400.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-13061\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sun Valley Community School seniors and National Merit Scholarship winners Johnny Hagenbuch and Ella Kopplin. Photo credit: Sun Valley Community School<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sun Valley Community School announced seniors Johnny Hagenbuch and Ella Kopplin have been named National Merit Scholarship finalists for 2020.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Johnny and Ella were among approximately 16,000 semifinalists announced in September. Semifinalists represent less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors and were chosen from a pool of more than 1.5 million juniors in about 21,000 high schools based on their results in the 2018 Preliminary SAT\/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT\/NMSQT). The nationwide pool of semifinalists includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Around half of the National Merit Scholarship finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship of $2,500, earning the National Merit Scholar title. Finalists were chosen based on academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, honors, and awards received. National Merit Scholarship winners of 2020 will be publicly announced in April, May, June, and July.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cElla and Johnny have had remarkable careers at Sun Valley Community School; they are both motivated and engaged students who are highly involved with extracurriculars. They have each pursued their passions\u2014inside and outside the classroom. We are proud of their hard-earned achievements and look forward to where their journeys take them,\u201d Head of School Ben Pettit said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Fatal Crash On Hwy. 46 On Valentine\u2019s Day<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On Friday, Feb. 14, at approximately 1:07 p.m., Idaho State Police investigated a two-vehicle fatality crash on State Highway 46 at milepost 110, south of Gooding.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cynthia Thomas, 47, of Gooding, was driving a 2002 Pontiac Sunfire northbound on State Highway 46. Robert Morrison, 54, of Gooding, was driving a 2018 Hyundai Elantra southbound on State Highway 46. The Pontiac went off the right shoulder, hit a guardrail, and came back onto the road. It then struck the front of the Hyundai. Both vehicles came to rest in the lane of travel.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Morrison was transported by ground ambulance to the Gooding Airport, then by air ambulance to Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise. Morrison\u2019s passenger, Suzanne Morrison, 49, of Gooding, was transported by ground ambulance to North Canyon Medical Center in Gooding, then by air ambulance to Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Both Robert and Suzanne were wearing their seatbelts. Thomas was not wearing a seatbelt and succumbed to her injuries at the scene of the crash. Next of kin has been notified.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">State Highway 46 was blocked in both directions for approximately three hours. Idaho State Police was assisted by Gooding County Sheriff&#8217;s Office, Gooding Fire Department, and Idaho Transportation Department.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Longtime BCSD Counsel Honored<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rand Peebles, who served as the city attorney for Sun Valley for 13 years, the attorney for the Blaine County School District for 23 years, and as POWER Engineers\u2019 attorney since 1987, has been honored by the regional Association of Corporate Counsel chapter for his contributions to the industry and to the Treasure Valley and Wood River Valley communities.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Peebles was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at a gala in Boise last week.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Peebles began his career with POWER in 1987, when he was hired as outside counsel as part of his work with Ketchum law firm Lawson &amp; Peebles, which later merged with Hawley Troxell Ennis &amp; Hawley. While at that firm, Peebles also served for 13 years as the City of Sun Valley attorney and for 23 years as the attorney for the Blaine County School District. He retired from private practice in 2008 to join POWER as its first in-house counsel.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cRand is a true gentleman,\u201d said Jim Haynes, POWER chief administrative officer. \u201cWe have such high regard not only for his skill as an attorney and the leadership he\u2019s shown at POWER, but for his ability to connect with people. Rand is empathetic, kind and humble, and this award is a great testament to the impact he\u2019s had on everyone he\u2019s worked with.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Sun Valley Film Festival Seeks Housing Hosts<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sun Valley Film Festival event organizers are seeking hosts willing to provide housing for visiting filmmakers and staff during the March 18\u201322 event.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ideal host housing would be located in the north Valley so transportation can be easily arranged, organizers said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you are interested in supporting this event through the contribution of housing for SVFF participants, please contact Erica West, erica@sunvalleyfilmfestival.org.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Risch Introduces Bill To Bring Disaster Assistance To Rural Businesses<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) have introduced the so-called Disaster Assistance for Rural Communities Act.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Under current law, bill proponents say, substantial roadblocks prevent small businesses and homeowners in rural communities from accessing Small Business Administration (SBA) assistance in the event of a natural disaster. This bipartisan legislation creates a waiver at no cost to taxpayers that will allow rural small businesses to more readily secure SBA disaster assistance in the case of a presidentially-declared disaster.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWhen Idaho County flooded last year, critical federal disaster assistance was delayed to Idaho homeowners and small businesses due to bureaucratic red tape. Disaster victims in rural areas already face significant challenges\u2014obtaining disaster relief should not be one of them,\u201d said Risch. \u201cThe Disaster Assistance for Rural Communities Act will ensure that rural communities have access to vital disaster assistance their tax dollars fund.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Idaho Power CEO Announces Retirement<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Idaho Power Chief Executive Officer Darrel T. Anderson has announced his intent to retire on June 1. He has been with Idaho Power since 1996 and with parent company IDACORP, Inc., since its inception in 1998.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The board of directors of IDACORP and Idaho Power appointed Lisa Grow to succeed Anderson, effective June 1, and appointed her to the IDACORP and Idaho Power board of directors, effective immediately. Anderson will remain on the board of directors after his retirement, subject to annual election by IDACORP\u2019s shareholders.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWhen I reflect on this company\u2019s history, what I am most proud of is the culture we helped create together, especially as it relates to safety, and our employees\u2019 commitment to each other, which I witness in action every single day,\u201d said Anderson.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lisa Grow, who has worked for Idaho Power for more than 32 years, was named president of Idaho Power in October 2019. In 2017, she was named the company\u2019s senior vice president and chief operating officer, where she contributed significantly to the operational and financial management of Idaho Power. Grow held several engineering positions within the company before moving into management. She is a University of Idaho electrical engineering graduate and holds a master\u2019s degree in business administration from Boise State University.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Idaho Division Of Aeronautics To Hold Flight History Art Competition<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Idahoans 5 to 18 years old are invited to participate in the Idaho Division of Aeronautics\u2019s annual Aviation Art Contest, which runs through April 1.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cIdaho has a rich aviation history, and this year we encourage our young artists to find their inspiration by exploring that history,\u201d explained Tim Steffen, safety education manager with the Idaho Division of Aeronautics.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There will be five different age categories in the contest. Contestants must submit original artwork on 11-by-17-inch paper. The artwork must have been created using watercolor, acrylic or oil, colored pencil, felt-tip marker, ballpoint pen, pen and ink, or crayon. No pencil, charcoal, collage, digital or clip art will be accepted. Each student\u2019s artwork must also have a completed Certificate of Authenticity.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First-place winners in each group will be invited to ride in a plane and will have their artwork signed by Idaho Gov. Brad Little and get a framed congratulatory letter. Second-place winners will receive $25 in art supplies and a congratulatory letter.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The age categories are:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5-6 years old<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">7-9 years old<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">10-12 years old<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">13-15 years old<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">16-18 years old<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">More information can be found at itd.idaho.gov\/aero and by clicking on the Safety &amp; Education tab.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Sheep Festival Seeks Original Art<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Organizers of the Trailing of the Sheep Festival have put out an open call for artists to submit three photos of completed artwork accompanied with an artist\u2019s statement. Selected artwork will be used within the festival\u2019s merchandise such as T-shirts, hoodies and programs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The selected artist will receive artist\u2019s credit and will be invited to exhibit and sell their work at a complimentary vendor\u2019s booth at the Sheepdog Trials during this year\u2019s festival.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Submissions should be made to executive director Laura Drake at laura@trailingofthesheep.org. Deadline is Feb. 28.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>SV Film Festival, Ford Announce $25K \u2018Pitch Fest\u2019 Grant The Sun Valley Film Festival (SVFF) is once again partnering with Ford Motor Company as its presenting sponsor. In the spirit of the festival\u2019s mission of celebrating the producer, this year the partnership takes this emphasis to the next level by establishing the Ford Pitch Fest [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13061,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","_pvb_checkbox_block_on_post":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[84,18,36,49],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-13060","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-in-brief","8":"category-news","9":"category-slider","10":"category-top-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13060","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13060"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13060\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13061"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13060"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13060"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13060"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}