Library to hold free Facebook, Twitter Classes
Wood River Valley residents who feel flummoxed by Facebook or tested by Twitter can attend one of the Community Library’s upcoming social networking classes.
The Ketchum library will hold two separate classes this fall—both taught by Paul Zimmerman, the library’s technology expert. The first class will take place today, Oct. 24, and the second on Wednesday, Nov. 7. Both are scheduled from 10 to 11:30 a.m. and are free.
“These will be best practices classes for Facebook and Twitter,” Zimmerman said. “Most people don’t realize how easily those services can be leveraged for a variety of uses.”
Zimmerman said the classes will be an hour long, followed by a 30-minute question-and-answer session.
“We’ll get anyone not signed up [to Facebook or Twitter] signed up,” Zimmerman stated in the email. “Then we will go over the main points of [the two social networking sites].”
The library recommends that people interested in taking one of the classes should register beforehand, as class size will be limited to 12 students per class. To register, contact Zimmerman at pzimmerman@thecommunitylibrary.org or 726-7355, ext. 119.
Suit against Mountain Rides refiled
A lawsuit brought by two people injured in an accident involving a Mountain Rides bus, originally filed incorrectly in April, has been refiled.
The accident occurred Feb. 23 about two miles north of Hailey on state Highway 75 when a bus driven by Pamela Vasquez collided with a 1999 Toyota Camry driven by Kathleen E. Welch-Wolverton.
The suit was filed April 6 in Blaine County 5th District Court by Boise attorney Scot M. Ludwig on behalf of Welch-Wolverton and James R. Welch. The suit named as defendant Friends of Mountain Rides Inc., doing business as Mountain Rides Transportation Authority. However, Friends of Mountain Rides is a nonprofit organization that supports Mountain Rides operations, but does not operate it.
The suit was refiled against Mountain Rides Transportation Authority, as well as against Vasquez and the cities of Sun Valley, Ketchum, Hailey, Bellevue and Carey.
Idahoans to lose extended benefits
The Idaho Department of Labor sent notices to 6,100 unemployment insurance claimants this week that their extended benefits will terminate Dec. 30, urging them to take full advantage of the services the department offers job seekers.
According to the department, about 150 people a week are exhausting their extended benefits without finding work.
Since 2008 when unemployment insurance was extended beyond the regular state benefits of 10 to 26 weeks, 95,000 Idaho workers have shared $900 million in federally financed extended benefits. About $1.3 billion has been paid in regular state benefits since the beginning of 2008, a month after the recession began.
At their peak, extended benefits added a maximum of 27 to 73 additional weeks of payments to the 10 to 26 weeks provided under the traditional state benefit program. As Idaho’s jobless rate has declined, the extension has been trimmed back three times this year, so that now the maximum additional payments are 14 to 37 weeks, and all extended benefits will stop at the end of the year.
The department’s local office at 733 N. Main St. in Bellevue holds workshops on creating quality résumés and online applications, training resources to upgrade work skills, job interview assistance including how to deal with questions about gaps in work history, advice on overcoming barriers to employment and tips on using social media to network into a new job.
More information is available at www.labor.idaho.gov.
Students help with food drive
The Sage School student body is working with The Hunger Coalition to spread awareness of hunger issues and gather food today, Oct. 24, National Food Day.
Students will be going door to door in several neighborhoods collecting food and helping The Hunger Coalition increase understanding of local, national and global hunger issues. Anyone who lives in Deerfield, Della View, Foxmoor, Hulen Meadows, West Ketchum or Northridge, can expect to see students knocking on their doors from 1-3 p.m. in the afternoon.
People who will not be home during those hours but would like to participate in the canned food drive are welcome to leave a small bag of goods on their front step and the students will pick them up. Top items needed include: cereal, oatmeal, tuna and other canned meats, canned fruit, rice, flour, cooking oil, peanut butter, pancake mix, sugar, soy or powdered milk, canned tomatoes, tomato/pasta sauce, pasta, masa, nuts, canned soup or canned vegetables.
People can call The Sage School at 788-0120 with any questions.
Book and Bake Sale is this week
The Friends of the Hailey Public Library will hold its annual Book and Bake Sale on Thursday, Oct. 25, and Friday, Oct. 26, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, Oct. 27 (Bag Sale Day), from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will take place at the Idaho National Armory, 311 Cedar St. in Hailey.
Books, CDs, movies and baked goods prepared by neighbors will be available for sale.
Anyone who would like to donate items should bring to the Armory today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Friends will be there to receive your items.
Money raised will fund enhancement of the collections, programs and services of the library.
