Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Briefs


ISP to crack down on drunk drivers

The Idaho State Police report that officers will be out in force during the Fourth of July holiday weekend, cracking down on drunk drivers.

Statistics gathered from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration over the past 25 years show that, on average, nearly half of all deadly traffic crashes over each year's July Fourth holiday involved some level of alcohol. In fact, 410 people were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes nationally during the Fourth of July weekend in 2009. Forty percent of those involved drivers with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 grams per deciliter, the legal limit, or higher.

In 2009, 10,839 people were killed in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes, accounting for nearly 32 percent of all traffic-related fatalities in the United States.

Chip sealing to start on county roads

Blaine County Road Department crews will begin chip sealing some county roads next month, and the department is asking residents to keep cars off the roadways while work is being done.

Chip sealing is a process done to protect the roads. A tar-like substance is spread on the road and covered with rock chips, which adhere to the surface. Char Nelson, the county's director of operations, said this process makes for a durable road surface.

Nelson added that the shoulders in the East Fork subdivision and Trail Creek Road would not be chip sealed, to make access easier for mountain bikers.

The county work schedule is as follows:

- July 11: Sunset Meadows Road.

- July 12: Indian Creek Road.

- July 13: Deer Creek Road.

- July 14, July 18: East Fork subdivision.

- July 19: Trail Creek Road.

- July 21: Littlewood Road.

Life Church seeks move

The Life Church in Hailey is seeking the approval of the Blaine County Planning and Zoning Commission to build a larger facility on property north of Albertsons.

The church is currently located on Main Street in Hailey. The new 8,500-square-foot facility would be on River Street, on a six-acre parcel owned by the church.

Before building, however, the church must obtain a conditional-use permit from the county, as the area is zoned residential. Other churches in the county operating under conditional-use permits are the Calvary Bible Church and the Light on the Mountains Spiritual Center.

If approved by the P&Z, the permit would need to be approved by the Blaine County commissioners before the church could be built.

The commission will consider the church's request on Thursday, June 30, at 6:30 p.m. at the Old County Courthouse in Hailey.

Redistricting hearing set for Thursday

Wood River Valley residents will have a chance to weigh in on the shape of electoral District 25 on Thursday, when the state reapportionment committee will hold a public hearing in Hailey.

Public hearings are held to gather input from across the state and to inform constituents of the process. State law requires that electoral and congressional districts remain as equal in population as possible, which means the lines must be redrawn every 10 years to match new census data.

The hearing will be held at 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 30, in Room 301-302 at the Community Campus in Hailey. The commission has until Sept. 4 to draft a plan.

NRA group to hold banquet

A newly formed Wood River Valley chapter of Friends of the National Rifle Association will hold its first fundraising banquet next month, featuring a pig roast and gun raffle.

The evening will include live and silent auctions, giveaways and raffles of over 30 firearms as well as custom knives, artwork, hunting equipment and home items.

The Locked N Loaded raffle will also take place in conjunction with the banquet. The prize is a full-sized gun safe loaded with eight handguns and rifles. The raffle is limited to 150 tickets, which are available at Tamarack Sports in Hailey.

The banquet will start at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 16, at the nexStage Theatre in Ketchum. Tickets are $40 and are available at Tamarack Sports in Hailey or at Guffy's in Bellevue. Tickets will not be sold at the door and must be purchased by July 9.

Proceeds go to promote youth education, safety training, hunter education, women's "Refuse to be a victim" training and conservation programs.

Hailey to continue flowers program

The city of Hailey, the Hailey Chamber of Commerce and the South Valley Merchants Alliance have stated that they are committed to continuing their Flowers on Main Street program of hanging baskets and whiskey barrels to line Main Street.

According to a news release, this year the city will install a few additional drip lines on Main Street. Drip lines allow the city to spend less money on maintenance and more on plants. In the past, the city has asked participants to donate as much as $300 per sponsorship to pay for the cost of the hanging baskets, daily watering, fertilizing and maintenance. This year, due to drip irrigation, sponsorships will cost only $100.

Sponsorships can be reserved by sending a check payable to Hailey Chamber of Commerce, Box 100, Hailey, ID 83333. Credit card payments are accepted—call 788-3484.

Fireworks are illegal on public lands

The Twin Falls District BLM is reminding people to be cautious while enjoying fireworks this weekend, and that all fireworks are illegal on public lands. According to a press release from the agency, improper fire use is the second leading cause of Idaho wildfires.

The BLM asks people to light fireworks in a cleared area away from brush and debris, keep water on hand and make sure children are supervised.

The Idaho Fire Prevention Order is in effect until Oct. 20 and prohibits the following actions on all public lands:

( Discharging, using or possessing fireworks.

( Discharging a firearm using incendiary or tracer ammunition.

( Burning, igniting or causing to burn any tire, wire, magnesium, plastic or any other hazardous or explosive material (including explosive targets).

With the summer start to dry fuels and hot weather, engine crews will be out patrolling for fires. Anyone who sees a fire or illegal activity can report it by dialing #FIRE or 800-974-2373. For additional information, contact Fire Information Officer Kyli Astle at (208) 732-7314.

Easy ways to get to the rodeo

The city of Hailey is encouraging people attending the July Fourth rodeo this weekend to walk or bike to the new rodeo arena. The arena is accessible from Main Street or from First Avenue from the Hailey Elementary School along Nelson Field. Bike parking for this summer is encouraged along the post-and-rail fence between the arena and Nelson ball field. Bike racks are planned for the facility, but will not be installed until other phases of the project have been completed.

Parking spaces in Nelson Field will be overseen by volunteers from the 4H club; access is from First Avenue. A $3 charge will help support the 4H Leaders Council.

Handicapped parking is available, as always, close to the arena.

Parking lots within a 10- to 15-minute walk, and property owners have given permission to park for the rodeo event. They include the Hailey Post Office, St. Luke's Clinic on Aviation Drive, the airport overflow parking lot, the city parking lot at Bullion and River streets and the Blaine County Courthouse at Croy Street and Second Avenue.

Mountain Rides' Valley Route will run on its normal schedule on Monday, July 4. For the rodeos on Saturday and Sunday, the Valley Route has limited service, and the Hailey Circulator does not run after 6 p.m. or on weekends. Event shuttles will be planned for future events at the arena.

Housing Authority receives grant

The Blaine County Housing Authority has been awarded technical assistance worth $20,000 by Cornerstone Partnership, an affordable-homeownership program of NCB Capital Impact. It is one of only six such awards recently granted nationwide.

"Technical assistance at this level will allow BCHA to move forward with its Community Housing Initiative Program, which includes developing a countywide housing plan," said Housing Authority Executive Administrator Kathy Grotto.

Through the grant, the Housing Authority will be matched with a consultant who has the best expertise to help the organization achieve its identified program objectives. Technical assistance will be provided between July and December and paid for by Cornerstone Partnership.

NCB Capital Impact is a national nonprofit organization and a certified community development finance institution that works to improve access to high-quality health and elder care, healthy foods, education and housing.

More information about the Housing Authority can be found online at www.bcoha.org and about Cornerstone Partnership at www.affordableownership.org.

Author to sign nonprofits guidebook

Tom Iselin, former executive director of Sun Valley Adaptive Sports, will hold a book signing for his new book, "First Things First: The Ultimate Guidebook for Early Stage Nonprofits" at Iconoclast Bookstore in Ketchum on Sunday, July 3, from 3-5 p.m. All proceeds will benefit The Hunger Coalition.

Ketchum sets goal-setting agenda

Ketchum Mayor Randy Hall, members of the Ketchum City Council, Planning and Zoning Commission, and city staff will meet in a goal-setting workshop on Friday, July 1.

Agenda items include a review of the budget, a community marketing plan, "green" building codes, the economic development plan, comprehensive plan, planning and zoning priorities, and other items.

In previous years, the council has held a retreat to discuss priorities and initiatives for the coming fiscal year. This year, with a small budget allowing for fewer projects, the council is holding a shortened session closer to home.

The meeting will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Knob Hill Inn.

Recall effort wraps up

The Committee to Recall Tom Luna has one more day to collect the more than 150,000 signatures required to put a recall vote of state schools Superintendent Tom Luna on the ballot for a special election on Aug. 30.

The Committee to Recall Tom Luna was started by former Mountain Home Air Force Base secretary Nancy Berto in February, before the superintendent's three controversial education reforms had even been signed into law.

The premise of the movement is that Luna did not mention the reforms in his campaign and should be held accountable for the omission.

As of Monday, the committee had collected 50,000 signatures.




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