Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Briefs


Hailey seeks funds for fireworks

The Hailey Chamber of Commerce is seeking donations to help fund this year's Fourth of July fireworks display. Year after year, the fireworks show closes the Independence Day festivities in Hailey with a bang, earning recognition as one of the largest and most beautiful displays in the state.

Make all contributions payable to Hailey Fireworks Fund, 114 Main St. S., Suite H, Hailey ID 83333. Donations can also be made online at www.haileycityhall.org.

Unemployment benefits end

Unemployment benefits ended last week for more than 4,000 jobless Idaho workers.

Benefit eligibility was curtailed with the expiration of the February 2009 federal stimulus law and the extended benefits approved by Congress several times.

Claimants receiving benefits under one of the four phases of the federal extended benefit program will receive weekly checks until that phase is completed.

About 22,000 people in Idaho have been receiving extended federal benefits. Another 19,000 are receiving regular state benefits.

Bank staff brightens up Blaine Manor

The Blaine Manor nursing facility in Hailey is getting a makeover this week by local Zions Bank employees during the company's 20th annual Paint-a-Thon service project. Bank employees are volunteering to help brighten the facility by painting three rooms.

The facility is one of more than 52 buildings in Idaho and Utah that will receive makeovers during the project. The Paint-a-Thon benefits low-income, elderly and disabled homeowners.

Volunteer for Fourth of July

The Sun Valley-Ketchum Chamber & Visitors Bureau is seeking more than 50 volunteers to help with Fourth of July festivities. The 4th on Fourth celebration includes a children's carnival, food and beverage concessions, and a free live concert featuring Up a Creek, FourStroke Bus and headliners Jonathan Tyler & The Northern Lights.

Anyone interested can contact Stefany Mahoney at 725-2105 or smahoney@visitsunvalley.com.

Free car seat safety check offered

St. Luke's Wood River Medical Center will hold a free car seat safety check today from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. A certified child passenger safety technician will help people install car seats, fit older children to seats and check for recalls. Inspections take place in front of the main entrance to the hospital.

For more information, call 727- 8776.

Fire training to 'heat up' valley

The Ketchum Fire Department will host the 17th annual Wildland/Urban Interface Exercise on Saturday, June 26, with other local fire departments, the BLM and the Forest Service. The simulated fast-moving wildland fire exercise will occur in Greenhorn Gulch and spread into Golden Eagle subdivision starting at 8 a.m. and running to about noon.

Fire apparatus will be backed into driveways and fire crews will stretch dry hose lines down the driveway, simulating a defensive attack to save the structure from advancing fire.

Firefighters will canvass Greenhorn and Golden Eagle subdivisions to answer questions about the exercise. Residents who do not want their property involved in the exercise should contact the Ketchum Fire Department at 726-7805 by Tuesday, June 22, and place a trash can at the entrance to their driveway on the morning of the exercise.

The Ketchum Fire Department is also seeking 20 volunteers to simulate fire growth and spot fires. Those interested in helping can contact Assistant Chief Robbie Englehart at 727-5075.

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Gas interruption allowed for snowmelt

The Idaho Public Utilities Commission has ruled that Intermountain Gas Co. can temporarily interrupt service to customers using snowmelt when natural gas is in short supply. Snow-melting equipment is usually installed under driveways and on rooftops.

New customers using snowmelt would receive a discounted rate in exchange for the interruption, while existing customers can volunteer to receive the lower rate for their willingness to participate.

A switch will be installed at an outdoor site for the company's workers to manually turn off the gas. Remote technology should be available in the future that would displace the switch.

In announcing its ruling on June 1, the commission said snowmelt uses an "inordinate amount of natural gas compared to more conventional uses." During days when gas is at peak use, snowmelt competes with other customers for a finite amount of gas flowing through Intermountain's distribution system.

"By making snowmelt service interruptible, future system expansions to serve this load can be avoided," the commission said.

Garth Brooks tickets go fast

Lawn tickets made available for a benefit concert with Garth Brooks and the Sun Valley Symphony Orchestra went on sale Saturday morning at 10 a.m. and sold out by 10:29 a.m. That morning, the website held up under tremendous pressure, with 78 percent of the lawn tickets sold online. The call center experienced volumes that peaked at 1,409 simultaneous calls at 10:29 a.m.

A limited number of reserved seats inside the Sun Valley Pavilion for the concert, to be held Aug. 1 at 6:30 p.m., are still available. These tickets are $500 each, $400 of which is a tax-deductible contribution to the Sun Valley Summer Symphony. In addition to the reserved seat, pavilion ticket-holders are invited to attend a cocktail reception at 5 p.m. on the day of the concert at the Sun Valley Lodge terrace.

Anyone interested in buying pavilion tickets can call the Sun Valley Summer Symphony office at 622-5607. Updated information is available at the symphony's website, www.svsummersymphony.org/.

Boxcar Bend workday set

The Wood River Land Trust and Trout Unlimited will conduct the annual Boxcar Bend workday and barbecue on Saturday, June 19, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Volunteers will spread wood chips on the trails, pull weeds and work on trail and bank stabilization. Tools and water will be provided. After work is done, a barbecue will be provided by Trout Unlimited for all volunteers.

Boxcar Bend is a Wood River Land Trust preserve located six miles north of Hailey on the east side of the highway. Look for the Land Trust sign.

For more information, contact Keri York at 788-3947, or e-mail kyork@woodriverlandtrust.org.

Seal-coat planned for bike path

The Blaine County Recreation District has scheduled a section of the Wood River Trail for seal-coat maintenance beginning Monday, June 21, through Friday, June 25. The project will begin at the north end of the path at Hulen Meadows and include 5.2 miles of the path south to the trestle bridge near St. Luke's Wood River Medical Center.

This section of the trail will be closed during the seal-coating process and a signed detour will be available. However, that may not be suitable for road bikes, rollerblades or bike trailers, or for night travel.

Seal-coating is the process of applying an asphalt emulsion to seal the trail surface. During the application and drying process, it is important that trail users stay off the new surface for 48 hours. Traveling on wet seal-coat material will ruin shoes, clothes, bikes, rollerblades and the trail.

Marketron wins Golden Can Award

Team Marketron in Hailey won first place and the Golden Can Award for donating 485 meals in cash and food during the Hunger Coalition's Spring Corporate Food Drive.

Seventeen local businesses, including the Idaho Mountain Express, participated in the effort, donating 3,300 pounds of non-perishable food.

'Miles of Smiles' doles out bikes

The third annual "Miles of Smiles" giveaway program gave 47 new Specialized bikes to pre-qualified kids on Sunday, June 13, at the Blaine County Recreation District's Sportscape in Hailey.

The donations from Brian Ross and Susan Reinstein and Specialized Bikes were coordinated with the Elephant's Perch and the Wood River Bike Coalition. Volunteers from Mud Honey Cycling and the Wood River Bike Coalition gave kids tips and bike safety instruction, including the importance of wearing a helmet.

Artist workshop planned in Hailey

The Hailey Arts Commission will hold an artist workshop for those interested in applying for the Hailey Rodeo Park public art elements project on Thursday, June 17, at 5:30 p.m. in Hailey City Hall in the upstairs meeting room.

For details, call 788-4221, ext. 26, or e-mail tracy.anderson@haileycityhall.org.

Idaho's Bounty to tour farms

An Idaho's Bounty spring farm tour is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 19. The tour will begin at Ballard Cheese in Gooding and end at Fish Breeders of Idaho in Hagerman.

Idaho's Bounty will arrange for carpooling from the Wood River and Treasure valleys. The tour is $5 per person or $15 per car.

For details, call Julia Augustus at 721-1412.

Mentors for kids sought

The Blaine County office of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Idaho seeks volunteers to serve as mentors in the Wood River Valley. No special skills or experience are needed.

For details, call Bronwyn Patterson at 578-5405.




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