Friday, October 26, 2012

Briefs

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State awards laptop deal to HP

BOISE, Idaho (AP)—Idaho officials have awarded an eight-year, $180 million contract to Hewlett-Packard Co. to provide high school students and teachers with laptops, in a deal that hinges on a voter initiative.
Gov. Butch Otter and Public Schools Superintendent Tom Luna announced Palo Alto, Calif.-based Hewlett-Packard as the winning vendor at an event Tuesday on the company’s Boise campus.
Hewlett-Packard submitted the lowest bid of five companies, offering HP ProBook laptops, software, security and support for $249 per student.
The contract and plan for equipping students and teachers with laptops are part of an education overhaul, and could be undone if voters in two weeks decide to reject Proposition 3. The technology initiative, along with referendums on teacher merit pay and limits on teacher union bargaining, face voter approval Nov. 6.
Otter and Luna say the computers are critical to their vision for transforming high school classrooms across the state.

Library to screen energy documentary

The Community Library in Ketchum will screen “Dirty Business: ‘Clean Coal’ and the Battle for Our Energy Future” on Thursday, Nov. 1, at 6 p.m.
The 90-minute documentary, filmed in 2009, explores the “true cost” of dependence on coal for electricity in the age of climate change, the film’s website states. The film was produced by the California-based Center for Investigative Reporting. In the film, Rolling Stone reporter Jeff Goodell seeks answers to a variety of questions such as “Can coal ever really be made clean?,” “If we were to try to wean ourselves off coal, how would we keep the lights on?” and “Is renewable energy ready for prime time?”
“The film examines what it means to remain dependent on a 19th-century technology,” the website states.
The screening is sponsored by the Snake River Alliance, a Boise-based organization that refers to itself as Idaho’s “nuclear watchdog” and advocates for renewable and nuclear-free energy.

Book and Bake Sale benefits library

The Friends of the Hailey Public Library‘s annual Book and Bake Sale has started and will run through today, 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 is taking place at the Idaho National Armory, 311 Cedar St. in Hailey.
Books, CDs, movies and baked goods prepared by neighbors are available for sale.
Money raised will fund enhancement of the collections, programs and services of the library.

Vail gondola goes in, Snowmass expanding

VAIL, Colo. (MTN)—In anticipation of its 50th winter of operations, Vail is completing installation of a new gondola, using the same alignment as the original gondola when operations began in 1962.
The similarities end there, however. Each car on this new gondola will have heated leather seats and Wi-Fi access. It’s also the fastest of its type in the world.
Meanwhile, the Forest Service approval of a major ski area expansion at Breckenridge has been appealed by two groups, reports the Summit Daily News. One of the appeals contends that habitat for lynx will be fragmented by the ski area operations.
The Aspen Skiing Co. will be allowed to go forward with its 230-acre expansion in an area of Snowmass called Burnt Mountain. A U.S. district judge ruled that a Wyoming group was out of order in its objection, and should have noted its argument at the proper time. The expansion will make Snowmass the second largest ski area in Colorado, behind only Vail.

Story Mania set for Halloween

Sgt. Brad Gelskey of the Blaine County Sheriff’s Office will participate in a story hour with the theme of Halloween safety at the Hailey Public Library on Wednesday, Oct. 31, at 10:30 a.m. Kids will learn about Halloween safety tips and receive a certificate of completion as well as a Halloween bag of goodies.
Story Mania is led by the library’s newest staff member, Cathy Neumann, a teacher with more than 15 years of experience working with pre-school and kindergarten children. All ages are invited to come explore a new theme and craft activity each Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. Themes are posted monthly on the library’s website,  www.HaileyPublicLibrary.org.

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