Wednesday, August 19, 2009

News briefs


Idaho's median wage rose in '08

The Idaho Department of Labor reported that the median wage for the state rose 3.8 percent from spring 2007 to spring 2008.

In a press release on Friday, Department of Labor spokesman Bob Fick said that compares favorably to the national average, in which the median wage rose 3.1 percent over the same period.

The department's 2009 Occupational Employment and Wage Report put the statewide median wage at $14.32 an hour, up from $13.79 an hour in 2007. The median wage means exactly half of Idaho workers made more and half made less.

The average wage rose 5.7 percent over the same period to $17.94. However, these numbers do not reflect the impact of the significant loss of jobs that began in fall 2008.

The entire report can be found at http://lmi.idaho.gov.

Fire and medical summit planned

A fire and emergency medical services summit has been scheduled for today, Wednesday, Aug. 19, at 5:30 p.m. The welcome and opening remarks for the public event will be made by Hailey Mayor Rick Davis.

Officials from Hailey, Blaine County, Wood River Fire & Rescue and the Hailey Fire Department will be present.

The goal of the meeting is to identify whether there is political will to conduct an evaluation of fire and EMS response services in southern Blaine County and whether consolidating those services would be beneficial. The meeting will be held in the upstairs meeting room at the Old Blaine County Courthouse in Hailey.

Croy Canyon fundraising effort begins

The Croy Canyon Ranch Foundation has launched the public phase of its campaign to raise $13 million to help pay for the creation of Croy Canyon Ranch, a continuing-care retirement community west of Hailey. When complete, the facility will replace the existing Blaine Manor, which Blaine County taxpayers subsidize to the tune of just under $700,000 per year.

Croy Canyon Ranch will include 25 independent-living apartment homes, 30 assisted-living suites and 23 skilled-nursing suites (25 beds). The cost of Croy Canyon Ranch is $30.8 million, a portion of which will be paid by the sale of Blaine Manor.

The fundraising effort has already received $3.3 million in gifts and pledges from Croy Canyon Ranch Foundation board members, honorary board members and lead gifts. For more information, visit www.croycanyonranch.com.

Bicycle auction set for Aug. 29

The Hailey Police Department will auction off about 40 confiscated or lost bikes on Saturday, Aug. 29, at 10 a.m. on the sidewalk near the alley entrance of City Hall on Main Street.

Interested bidders can see a description of the bikes at www.haileycityhall.org. For more information, call the Hailey Police Department at 788-3531.

Spiritual film festival passes on sale

The fifth annual Sun Valley Spiritual Film Festival will take place Sept. 18-20 at the Sun Valley Opera House and surrounding grounds. Passes are $80 and available at Chapter One Bookstore in Ketchum.

The festival will have a fundraising event with silent auction at The Open Room in Ketchum on Friday, Sept. 4, from 5-8 p.m. Auction items include works by Idaho artists.

An opening gala celebration will take place on Thursday, Sept. 17, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Friesen Gallery in Ketchum with limited-edition photographs by Mattieu Ricard. Ricard is an author, Buddhist monk and French interpreter to the Dalai Lama. The cost is a $15 donation.

For details, on films, guests and more, visit svspiritualfilmfestival.org.

Business group holds competition

Jigsaw, a nonprofit organization that supports bussiness development in the Wood River Valley, is holding its second annual business-plan competition. The winner will receive $250.

Deadline to submit plans is Monday, Sept. 14. For details, e-mail jimasv@cox.net.

Citizens for Smart Growth gets grant

The employee advisory committee at New Belgium Brewing recently awarded Citizens for Smart Growth a grant to aid in the local group's work in expanding and enhancing the county's Transfer of Development Rights program. The TDR program allows landowners to buy development rights from other landowners in the county so they can develop their land more densely.

Landowners who sell their development rights cannot then turn around and develop their land. Lands targeted for protection under the TDR program are located near Silver Creek in the Bellevue Triangle.

Citizens for Smart Growth was involved with the development of the TDR program and plans to continue working with the county to make the program a success, a news release from the group states.




 Local Weather 
Search archives:


Copyright © 2024 Express Publishing Inc.   Terms of Use   Privacy Policy
All Rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Express Publishing Inc. is prohibited. 

The Idaho Mountain Express is distributed free to residents and guests throughout the Sun Valley, Idaho resort area community. Subscribers to the Idaho Mountain Express will read these stories and others in this week's issue.