TNC to introduce new director
The Nature Conservancy in Hailey is hosting a reception open to the public so people can meet new Idaho State Director Toni Hardesty.
The reception will be held Tuesday, April 3, from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at the Idaho Field Office, 116 First Ave. N. in Hailey.
Anyone interested can read a letter from Hardesty on her move to The Nature Conservancy at www.nature.org/Idaho.
ITD to shut off Ketchum traffic light
Drivers should be prepared for a change to the traffic light at the intersection of Ketchum's Main Street and Sun Valley Road on Monday, April 2. The light will be turned off for much of the day as crews replace its control cabinet, the Idaho Transportation Department announced.
Beginning at about 9 a.m., the signal will be shut down and a four-way stop put in place. The work is expected to be complete by 4 p.m. Tuesday.
ITD and the Ketchum Police Department will monitor traffic throughout the day to ensure traffic does not back up excessively.
The cabinet is being replaced after being damaged in a crash.
Sun Valley woman honored for environmental work
Sun Valley resident Christine Gertschen was presented with an Outstanding Service Award from the Idaho Environmental Education Association at its annual conference in Boise on March 2-3. The conference attracts more than 100 formal and non-formal educators from around the state.
Gertschen founded and directed the Sawtooth Science Institute from 1990-2009 and served the Idaho Environmental Education Association as president and executive secretary from 1994-2003.
Founded 30 years ago, the Idaho Environmental Education is a nonprofit organization serving as the voice for environmental literacy and education in Idaho.
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Power hosts design conference
In early March, Power Engineers hosted its 22nd annual Power Delivery Design Conference in Sun Valley. Thirty-six speakers gave presentations over two days on a range of topics related to electric power transmission. The invitation-only conference attracted hundreds of attendees from across the country.
Less than two dozen attended the first conference in 1992, and the presentations were limited to overhead line engineering topics. In recent years, however, Power has expanded the conference format and enhanced the quality and depth of the presentations. The conference now includes both fundamental training and leading-edge presentations about overhead lines, underground lines and substations.
"We continually develop new ideas to make the conference more valuable to participants," said Peter Catchpole, Power Engineers senior project manager. "[The] conference tends to fly under the industry's radar because it is basically an 'invitation-only' event for design engineers. If you want to attend, find a Power employee and ask."
The conference will be held next year on March 6-7.
YAK leads spring-break trip
Seven high school students from Wood River High School and the Community School are in San Francisco from March 24-30 for a community service trip sponsored by St. Luke's YAK. The students are volunteering at homeless shelters, the San Francisco Food Bank and several sites for the National Parks Conservancy (Muir Beach, Marin Headlands and Redwood Creek Nursery).
They are also visiting cultural and educational sights during the trip, including Alcatraz, the Museum of Modern Art and the California Academy of Sciences.
Fur and hide auction set for Saturday
Wildlife furs, hides and antlers will be available for purchase at the Idaho Department of Fish and Game's annual fur and hide auction in Nampa on Saturday, March 31. The auction will be held at the agency's Southwest Region office, 3101 S. Powerline Rd.
Viewing will begin at 8 a.m., with bidding to start at 10 a.m.
The auction will sell wildlife hides, including those of bobcats, mountain lions, black bears and otters, as well as whole carcasses, including mountain lions, wolves and otters. Deer, elk and moose antlers will be sold in bundles or individual pairs, depending on size.
Many auction items are from animals killed illegally. Some impounded fishing, hunting and trapping equipment may also be available for purchase.
Auction payments may be made using cash or personal check. Credit cards will not be accepted.
For more information, contact the Fish and Game Southwest Region office at (208) 465-8465.
