Comment sought on water projects
The U.S. Forest Service is collecting comments on two water transmission projects on the Ketchum Ranger District.
The first application is from the Oregon Gulch Water Association, which wants to replace an existing diversion and ditch with a new subsurface diversion and pipeline about seven miles north of Ketchum.
The second is from the Lieskovan Family Trust, which requests a new permit to use a previously allowed water transmission system in Chocolate Gulch to service property at 305 Chocolate Gulch Road, about six miles north of Ketchum.
Joe Miczulski, the Ketchum Ranger District's recreation and lands forester, said both parties have existing and valid water rights.
More information can be found at www.fs.usda.gov/projects/sawtooth/landmanagement/projects or by visiting the Ketchum Ranger Station on Sun Valley Road in Ketchum.
Comments must be received by Aug. 31. Send comments to Ketchum Ranger District, Box 2356, Ketchum, ID 83340 or to comments-intermtn-sawtooth-ketchum@fs.fed.us
Redfish Lake beach renamed
Point Beach, located on Redfish Lake in the Sawtooths just south of Redfish Lake Lodge, was renamed last weekend in honor of former Rep. Orval Hansen.
Hansen, a former U.S. congressman for Idaho's Second District, worked closely with then U.S. Sen. Frank Church and Rep. Jim McClure to develop and introduce legislation that created the Sawtooth National Recreation Area.
Regional Forester Harv Forsgren thanked Hansen for his contribution during a celebration July 28.
"Were it not for the efforts of Orval and others like him, this place we call the Sawtooth National Recreation Area would be very different today," he said. "We all owe a great debt of gratitude to him."
New scourge hits mountain pines
Though the Forest Service has made headway against pine beetles on Bald Mountain, it reported last week that a new insect is attacking Idaho's conifers.
Western spruce budworm, a native North American insect, is defoliating Douglas fir, spruce and other conifer species throughout southern Idaho. Aerial surveys in 2011 identified almost 1.2 million acres defoliated by the worms, and 2012 numbers are expected to be similar.
Spruce budworm does not kill trees, but generally cause reduced growth and dead tops. Defoliated trees turn reddish-brown, and smaller trees tend to have more mortality as budworm larvae drop from large trees onto younger growth.
Insecticides are most effective in early summer, and control options are limited.
Senators honor Idaho Olympian
Idaho Olympian and two-time gold medalist Kristin Armstrong was honored by Idaho Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch before the U.S. Senate on Wednesday. Armstrong, a native of Boise, won the Olympic women's time trial Wednesday.
The senators submitted a statement into the Congressional Record commending Armstrong for "remarkable dedication and strength" throughout her racing career.
"Despite breaking her collarbone in the Exergy Tour in Idaho two months ago and sustaining minor injuries from a crash just a few days before her London win, Kristin did not let these difficulties hold her back," the senators stated. "She surpassed many skillful competitors to once again achieve the gold medal while also becoming the oldest champion in a road cycling event. ... These are considerable accomplishments."
Cottonwoods to come down
The BLM's Shoshone Field Office will trim and remove hazardous cottonwood trees within the Sun Peak Picnic Area and the Lake Creek Trailhead next week. The trees have been identified as a threat to public safety and to structures due to their declining health and the potential for falling branches.
The sites will be closed or partially closed while work is being performed. Work is scheduled for the week of Aug. 6, and the BLM anticipates that the tree trimming and removal will take about four days at the Sun Peak Picnic Area and about two days at Lake Creek. Users of the Wood River Trail between Adams Gulch and Hulen Meadows may experience delays while work is being performed at the Sun Peak Picnic Area.
For more information contact John Kurtz 208-732-7200.
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 in categories of antique, sport, modified, collectors and one of a kind.
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.
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, today, 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, Mexico, 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.
For more information, visit www.svasp.org or www.hgvets.org, or call 726.9298.
