Forum set to discuss air service tax
The Wood River Economic Partnership is sponsoring an open meeting for valley residents to discuss air service access and taxes today, July 25, at 5 p.m. in the Sun Valley Inn's Limelight Room B.
According to a news release from the Wood River Economic Partnership, the meeting was organized in response to Fly Sun Valley Alliance's initiative for Hailey, Ketchum and Sun Valley to include a measure for a 1 percent five-year local-option tax on their November ballots. The tax would fund air service retention and development.
According to the Wood River Economic Partnership, the additional funding would allow continued nonstop flights from Seattle and Los Angeles and add up to three new seasonal nonstop flights from other cities by 2017.
"WREP sees the value for the business community to learn why it is in our community's collective best interest to have our city councils get behind this initiative in the next few weeks," the press release states. "Air service is critical to tourism, business, property values and Blaine County's overall quality of life."
Seating for the event is limited. RSVP to dougbrownsv@gmail.com.
Bicycle safety event offered
A bike safety event for children and parents will be held today, July 25, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the entrance to the Aquatic Center, 1050 Fox Acres Road in Hailey.
Kids will have a chance to receive a free helmet and other giveaways.
Annie Bledsoe, a second-year medical student from the University of Washington, is organizing this event with support from St. Luke's Wood River Medical Center. Bledsoe is part of WWAMI, a publicly supported medical education program for the region of Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho.
For more information on this event, contact Bledsoe at 208-599-2808
Blood drive set for Tuesday
A blood drive will be held Tuesday, July 31, from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the LDS church on Sun Valley Road in Ketchum.
According to Red Cross Chief Executive Officer Julia Wulf, the blood supply has dropped to critically low levels across the nation. Wulf said distributions to hospitals of types O positive, O negative, B negative and A negative are outpacing donations, creating a critical need for those blood types.
The St. Luke's Wood River Volunteer Core sponsors this blood drive annually. Any healthy person age 17 or older and weighing at least 110 pounds may be eligible to donate blood. Valid identification is required for all blood donations.
Schedule online at www.redcrossblood.org, using sponsor code "Ketchum." For more information, call Rea at 622-7091 or Susan at 726-3639.
Girls on the Run vies for grant
The Idaho Community Foundation has selected Family Health Services, Girls on the Run of the Wood River Valley, and La Posada to participate in its On the Spot grants at the third annual Central Idaho Luncheon in Twin Falls on Wednesday, Aug. 22.
Each nonprofit will do a brief presentation about its services for women and children. Luncheon attendees will decide which organization should receive a $2,500 grant. The grant is sponsored by US Bank, Norco and the J.R. Simplot Co.
The luncheon will be at the Twin Falls Center for the Arts from noon to 1:30 p.m. Tickets are $30 each. Reserved tables of eight are $220 and sponsorship tables of eight are $320. Registration is required and the deadline is Aug. 16. To register, go to www.idcomfdn.org.
Participate in A Hero's Journey
Sun Valley Adaptive Sports-Higher Ground will host A Hero's Journey, a fundraising event to support disabled people and those wounded in the armed forces, on Friday, Aug. 3, at Trail Creek Cabin in Sun Valley.
Guest speaker will be Bill Baker, former president and COO of the Motion Picture Association and a top aide to the director of central intelligence with 26 years in the FBI. He retired as FBI assistant director, Criminal Investigative Division, and now serves on the board of the J. Edgar Hoover Foundation.
A Hero's Journey is Sun Valley Adaptive Sports' main fundraising event. The evening will begin at 5:30 p.m. under the tent at Train Creek Cabin, followed by dinner, live auction and dancing to the Straight Up Band. Many live auction items have been donated, including helicopter transportation to Mountain Home Air Force Base with an F-15 simulator, tour and lunch at the officers club; private guided fly fishing on the Big Lost River; a one-week stay in Ixtapa, Mexicao, plus $1,000 toward airfare; and a ride in a World War II P-51 Mustang over the Pacific Ocean with a two-night stay at the Fairmont Maramar in Los Angeles with dinners at famous restaurants.
Donations can be made to the organization on www.svasp.org, including sponsorships for the event (gold sponsor, $5,000, and silver sponsor, $2,500. Tickets to the event are $150.
Sun Valley Adaptive Sports and Higher Ground enrich the lives of people with disabilities through sports and recreation. Higher Ground is a nationally recognized veteran rehabilitation program that combines sports, family and coping therapies to restore and rehabilitate men and women of the armed forces who have been severely wounded.
For more information, visit www.svasp.org or www.hgvets.org, or call 726.9298.
Hailey Kiwanis to host car show
The Kiwanis Club of Hailey and the Wood River Valley is hosting its annual Car Show at Roberta McKercher Park on Saturday, Aug. 4, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be more than 75 car entrants of antique, sport, modified, collectors and one of a kind.
This is a family event with bouncy houses, dunk tank, tricycle racing, food, beverages from Wicked Spud, radio remote from Canyon Radio and live music from 812.
The event is free and all the car entry fees will go to the Kiwanis Club to support children's events in the Wood River Valley. For more information call Lowell at 720-7091.
Odd Fellows & Rebekahs announce scholarships
Two local students have been awarded new scholarships for the 2012-13 academic year from the Wood River Odd Fellows & Rebekahs Scholarship Fund.
Gabriela German, who graduated from Silver Creek High School, plans to attend Paul Mitchell The School in Boise for a one-year program. She was awarded $3,000.
Anna Marie Lopez, who graduated from Wood River High School, plans to attend College of Southern Idaho. She was awarded $2,000 for her first year of college.
Renewal of scholarships for the 2012-13 academic year was announced for two additional students.
Julie Doan, who attended Chapman University and is transferring to Boise State University, was awarded $3,000 for her second year of college.
Dulce Torres, who attends College of Southern Idaho, was awarded $3,000 for her second year of college.
The endowment fund for the scholarship was established in 1996. It is invested and handled by the Idaho Community Foundation in Boise.
The Scholarship Fund awards students at least $1,000 each year to help further undergraduate, technical or vocational school educations. In 14 years of granting scholarships, the fund has awarded $137,000 in scholarships.
Campers urged to be bear aware
The Sawtooth National Forest is reminding visitors to be extra vigilant this summer when storing their food to avoid attracting black bears.
During dry summers such as this, the bears' natural food supplies may be scarce, forcing them on a search to find food. Improperly stored food in campgrounds or backcountry camps become all too tempting for the hungry bruins.
Bears possess an extremely keen sense of smell, and can find food from great distances. Once a bear finds food near humans, it is likely to come back. The result is a dangerous situation for both the bear and for people.
In developed campgrounds, campers should store all food not in use in their vehicle, trailer or camper with windows tightly closed. Stoves, cooking utensils, personal items such as toothpaste, and pet or livestock feed should be protected in the same manner. Garbage should be disposed of in the bear-proof trash containers in all campgrounds and never left out unattended.
In the backcountry, food and garbage should be kept out of bears' reach by hanging it high in a tree at least 100 yards from the sleeping area. Food bags should ideally be 10 feet above ground and 4 feet out from tree trunks. Food can also be stored in an approved bear-proof food container. Backcountry campers should attempt to reduce or eliminate food odors on themselves, their clothes and near their sleeping area.
For more information, contact the Sawtooth National Recreation Area at 727-5013, Stanley Ranger Station at 208-774-3000 or the Fairfield Ranger District at 208-764-3202.
