Ketchum police chief salary set
The Blaine County Commission set the yearly salary for Ketchum Police Chief Steve Harkins at $70,000 during its meeting on Tuesday. The move is one of the final steps in the process of handing over law enforcement duties to the Blaine County Sheriff's Office.
On July 1, the sheriff's office took over those duties under a joint powers agreement agreed to by the county and the city of Ketchum. Under the deal, the city will pay the county $1.56 million for police services for the remainder of the current fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30, and the entirety of the next year.
Learn about trout-friendly lawns
As part of an ongoing "trout-friendly lawn" series and pesticide discussion hosted by the Wood River Land Trust and the Blaine County Water Quality Department, Steve Heinz, University of Idaho extension educator, will discuss the environmental consequences of the use of pesticides during a public meeting later this week. The event, scheduled for 6-7 p.m. Thursday, is free. It will be held at the Hailey Public Library.
The land trust is also hosting a discussion of sustainable landscaping options this weekend. The event, scheduled for 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, is also open to the public. The discussion, to be held at Zaney's Coffee House in Hailey, showcases native plants, sustainable sods and fertilizer alternatives to make lawns more trout friendly.
Alasdair Neale conducts Pops Night
Erich Kunzel was to return to Sun Valley for his eighth season conducting the Sun Valley Summer Symphony Pops Concert Saturday, Aug. 8, but he is fighting cancer as well as exhaustion. Following advice from his doctors, Kunzel made the decision to cancel his trip to Sun Valley to conduct the concert.
Symphony conductor Alasdair Neale will conduct Kunzel's original Bernstein tribute program featuring vocalists Tiffany Haas, Zachary Prince and Chad Johnson. For details, visit svsummersymphony.org.
Concert series offers locals' deal
The Elkhorn Concert Series presents the Drive-By Truckers with opening act Dirty Sweet on Thursday, Aug. 13, at Elkhorn Village in Sun Valley at 6:30 p.m.
Concert promoters are offering a one-day ticket deal of $30 for locals on Thursday, Aug. 6. Tickets can be purchased at all Atkinsons' Markets. At the markets in Hailey and Bellevue, tickets are on sale 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and again from 5-7 p.m.
Tickets are also available all day Thursday at the Ketchum location and at Chapter One Bookstore in Ketchum. Ticket prices include taxes and fees, and there is a maximum of two tickets per person.
Celebrate Sun Valley Olympians
The Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation hosts Sun Valley Olympicfest at Forest Service Park in Ketchum on Aug. 16 from 5-9 p.m.
Former and hopeful Olympians will be on hand for the fundraiser for the SVSEF's Olympic Development Team.
The event includes musical guest Bryon Friedman and Argentinean food prepared by Ruben Macaya.
Tickets are $25 for adults, $15 for children ages 6-17, and are available at the Elephant's Perch, Backwoods Mountain Sports, PK's and Atkinsons'.
Get your ducks!
Ducks are now on sale for the annual Great Wagon Days Duck Race, sponsored by the Ketchum/Sun Valley Rotary Club and the Sawtooth Board of Realtors. Proceeds benefit students, charities and Blaine County Search & Rescue.
The Duck Race includes a party with music and kids activities at Rotary Park in Ketchum over Labor Day weekend.
Prizes include a river trip for two on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River, a two-night getaway to Park City, Utah, and 20-day ski passes, among others. The top-placing ducks are eligible to win a chance at $1 million.
For information on how and where to adopt a duck, call 721-7481.
Wood River Bicycle Coalition to hold forum at BCRD Aquatic Center
The Wood River Bicycle Coalition will hold a public forum with the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service and Sawtooth National Recreation Area on Monday, Aug. 10, at 6:30 p.m. The meeting is open to the public and will be held at the Blaine County Recreation Department Aquatic Center in Hailey.
The meeting's purpose is to discuss current and future trail projects for all trail users. The forum is an open dialogue for trail users to express their interests and to understand future plans from the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service and SNRA.
The meeting also offers an opportunity to join the adopt-a-trail volunteer program for the maintenance and building of trails. For details, call 720-5785.
