Hailey BAH set for June 16
The Hailey Chamber of Commerce is inviting businesses and members of the public to the Hailey Chamber Business After Hours on Thursday, June 16, from 5-7 p.m., hosted by the Sweetwater Development at the Sweetwater Community Park in Woodside.
The event is an opportunity for members of the business community to network and socialize. It will offer Italian food and refreshments.
For more information, call 788-3484.
Register online for Fourth parade
People can register entries for the Hailey Fourth of July Parade at haileyidaho.com. The 2011 parade theme is "130 Years of History." Prizes will be awarded in the categories of "Float," "Decorated/Antique Auto," "Equestrian /Wagon" and "Open."
Participants should provide a description of their entry for the parade announcer at the time of registration. Entry fee is $20 for Hailey chamber members, $25 for non-members and $45 for everyone after June 15. No more than three vehicles is allowed per entry.
The parade will start at noon on Monday, July 4, and lineup on River Street will begin at 11 a.m.
Sign up online or call 788-3484 or email anna@haileyidaho.com.
Improve your Spanish skills
The College of Southern Idaho is still accepting registration for the Summer Spanish Institute at the CSI Blaine County Campus in Hailey.
The institute runs from Monday, June 13, through Friday, June 17. The cost is $350. Anyone wanting to take the course for college credits can pay an additional $50 for two lower division credits through CSI or $100 for two upper level credits through Idaho State University.
The institute offers a week-long language immersion program for adults. It will include morning academic classes for beginners to more advanced students, and afternoon cultural workshops on cooking, music, dance and history.
For more information, visit the CSI Blaine County Campus website at www.csi.edu/blaine or call the office at 788-2033.
INL upgrades emergency communication service
The Idaho National Laboratory is establishing an emergency communications program that will integrate with emergency responders across Idaho.
The federal lab is working with counties to update mutual-aid agreements that enable INL emergency responders to work with authorities from counties across the area to mitigate events such as accidents on the highway and wildfires. Interoperability among agencies is a fairly recent concern—most local systems were based on each agency's having its own autonomous radio system.
White Cloud Communications, a 63-year-old Idaho-based company, will maintain the infrastructure and make necessary equipment upgrades.
Elk foundation funds conservation
Controlling noxious weeds, managing overgrown forests and researching wolf predation on elk populations headline a list of 2011 grants for Idaho from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.
Foundation funding totals $72,013 and affects 17 counties, including Blaine.
"Fire suppression and noxious weed infestations are taking a toll on areas elk use as winter range, summer range, migration corridors and calving grounds," said foundation Director David Allen.
According to a press release from the foundation, it has "The habitat projects that we're funding this year will help restore habitat quality, and could add over 25,000 acres to the 377,487 acres that we've previously helped to conserve or enhance for wildlife across Idaho."
Nationally, the foundation said it hopes to impact about 100,000 acres in 2011 to reach the 6 million-acre lifetime mark in lands conserved or enhanced for elk and other wildlife.
Idahoans share 'salmon stories'
In "Salmon Stories," a new video produced by Idaho Rivers United, 11 Idahoans discuss during brief interviews why salmon are important to their businesses, Idaho's ecology and the region's cultural heritage.
The project also includes footage of salmon jumping at Selway and Dagger falls during their summer 2010 return.
"In this long-running regional discussion about recovering salmon and steelhead, there's a tendency to focus on politics, legal benchmarks and spreadsheets full of numbers. In some ways that's unfortunate," said Greg Stahl, policy director for Idaho Rivers United. "In 'Salmon Stories,' we return to what salmon mean to everyday Idahoans."
The video can be accessed by going to HYPERLINK http://www.idahorivers.org www.idahorivers.org and clicking "Protecting Salmon," then clicking "Salmon Stories: Video Tour of Idaho" and clicking the featured cities.
Kickoff celebration for sheep festival
John and Diane Peavey, owners of the Flat Top Sheep Ranch near Carey, are inviting the public to participate in a kickoff celebration for the Trailing of the Sheep Festival on Sunday, June 26, from 3-6 p.m. The festival will take place in early October.
According to a news release from the festival, participants who arrive at the ranch's 130-year-old cabin will have the opportunity to learn about migratory wildlife corridors and unique ecosystems, stories of the spirited James Laidlaw and the rich history of ranching life and lore. A lamb barbecue will be served with salads, sides and dessert prepared by members of the festival board of directors. Lemonade and tea will also be available with a no-host wine and beer bar.
There will be an opportunity to bid for participation in a four-to-five-day cattle drive.
Cost is $25 per person. RSVP is required by Sunday, June 12. Call Heather Hammond at (206) 661-3167 or email heather@trailingofthesheep.org.
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Lecture on teens and eating
St. Luke's Center for Community Health will present a lecture titled "Parenting our Teens: The Issues of Eating Disorders" at St. Luke's Hailey Clinic today from 12:15-1:15 p.m.
Social worker Rachel Brannon and dietician Becky McCarver will lead a discussion regarding relationships with our body and food, and how this relationship can go awry. Brannon will explore a healthy state of emotional being and how that relates to body image and food. McCarver will offer tips for establishing a healthy relationship with food and how to empower teens to maintain that relationship.
They will provide practical parenting tips to foster healthy eating habits and create awareness of the warning signs of disordered eating.
Call St. Luke's Center for Community Health at 727-8733 for information on this or other educational programs.
Free blood pressure checks offered
Beginning today, June 1, St. Luke's Wood River Medical Center will offer free blood pressure checks at the Hailey Post Office on the first Wednesday of each month through October. The service will be provided from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Governor declares flooding disaster
Due to flooding conditions and the potential for record runoff in many areas of the state, Gov. Butch Otter has declared a statewide declaration of emergency. The declaration, approved today, brings the availability of state resources and rapid response to support impacted areas.
Currently, Bingham and Jefferson counties are listed under the state declaration. If conditions warrant, additional counties may be added.
Flood-prone conditions include heavy accumulations of snowpack and historically high snow-water-equivalent measurements. Early forecasts indicate that this will be one of the top five years on record. Snake River Basin water volumes are forecast to be similar to 1997.
MS Society to meet in Hailey
Staff members from the Idaho office of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society are coming to Sun Valley and would like to meet those in the area with multiple sclerosis and those who care for them. According to a news release from the society, the staff hopes to discuss the current needs of the Sun Valley multiple sclerosis community and how best to meet those needs.
The society urges those with an interest in the society, participating in the multiple sclerosis walk or partaking in free appetizers to attend the meeting.
The society will meet from 12:30-1:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 16, at the Senior Connection in Hailey. Call 208-388-4253 for more information.
Senators co-sponsor grazing bill
Idaho Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch are joining other Western senators in introducing the Grazing Improvement Act of 2011, which seeks to provide stability to ranchers and other public-land user groups by offering flexibility on grazing permit renewals.
According to a press release from Crapo's office, the act would require organizations that file lawsuits to show a "direct and personal monetary interest" in the legal action, establish caps on attorney fees and create an online database to track funds paid out of the Equal Access to Justice Act fund.
Veterans groups and Social Security claimants have exemptions under the bill, which, the press release states, is supported by more than 20 outdoor and user groups.
"When dealing with public lands management there needs to be a balance between conservation and use," Risch said. "This legislation protects that balance by providing more flexibility to users and by protecting taxpayer dollars from the abuses of outside groups intent on tying up management decisions in the courts."
Both bills are being introduced by Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., with Crapo and Risch joining as original co-sponsors.
Free fishing day set
Saturday, June 11, is Free Fishing Day in Idaho, and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game invites veteran and novice anglers of all ages, residents and nonresidents alike, to celebrate the day by fishing anywhere in Idaho without a license.
Though fishing license requirements are suspended for this special day, all other rules, such as limits or tackle restrictions, remain in effect.
"Free fishing day provides a great opportunity for novices to give fishing a try and perhaps develop it into a lifelong pursuit," Fish and Game Regional Fish Manager Jeff Dillon said. "Parents are encouraged to bring their children out for a day of fun fishing excitement."
At special locations around the state, equipment will be available for use, and fishing experts will be on hand to help novice anglers learn the ins and outs of fishing. In addition, all these locations will be stocked with hatchery rainbow trout prior to the special day.
