F-Stop to move on Oct. 1
F-Stop Camera & Video in Ketchum will move on Oct. 1 from its longtime location on Sun Valley Road to a new location at 251 N. Washington Ave.
F-Stop lost its lease after 31 years at its location on the corner of Sun Valley Road and East Avenue, said owner Rich Allen.
“We will continue to offer the same great service,” Allen said.
Additional information is available by calling 726-3419 or at www.fstopsunvalley.com.
Parents invited to school lunch
Parents of elementary school students in the Blaine County School District are invited to have lunch with the children on Thursday, Sept. 26.
The menu for “Bring Your Parents to Lunch Day” is either country chicken and gravy with mashed potatoes or garden fresh salads and beef nachos.
The district suggests that parents visit their students’ school website to find out when the lunch period starts. School websites can be found at www.blaineschools.org.
Festival gets kudos from USA Today
USA Today newspaper has featured the Trailing of the Sheep Festival in a story about “10 Great Places for Fall Festivals.” The accolade is the latest in a growing list of national and international media recognition for the event, which will celebrate its 17th year the weekend of Oct 10-13 in Hailey, Ketchum and Sun Valley.
Award-winning photojournalist Peter Guttman, who shared his top fall festival picks with USA Today, attended the Trailing of the Sheep Festival last year as part of a travel media tour organized by the Hailey Chamber of Commerce, Idaho Tourism, Trailing of the Sheep Festival and CW Communications.
“This recognition by USA Today, for the second year in a row, is another fantastic feather in our cap,” said Mary Austin-Crofts, executive director of the festival. “Special events like the Trailing of the Sheep Festival are absolutely key tourism drivers for our economy and this fall we need those visitors more than ever.”
The festival has also been featured in other media outlets, including Business Week, Good Housekeeping, Sunset, smartertravel.com, huffingtonpost.com, World Journal (China), Horizon Air and Northwest Travel.
Valley honored as ‘bicycle friendly’
The League of American Bicyclists has designated the Wood River Valley as an official Bicycle Friendly Community at the Silver level. The organization said the “Wood River Valley exhibits a strong commitment to cycling [and … notable steps are being taken to address the needs of current bicyclists and to encourage other residents to become regular cyclists as well.”
More than 600 communities across the country have applied for the designation, and 242 have been awarded the status. The Wood River Valley was first awarded the designation in 2008.
In order to gain Bicycle Friendly Community status, the Wood River Bicycle Coalition, with contributions from the city of Hailey and Mountain Rides Transportation Authority, and many others, completed an extensive application that evaluated five categories: engineering, education, encouragement, enforcement and evaluation.
Household income rebounded in 2012
Median household income in Idaho jumped 5 percent in 2012, ending a three-year slide that produced one of the worst recession losses in household income in the nation, the state Department of Labor reported.
New U.S. Census Bureau estimates put 2012 median household income at $45,489, which means half the state’s 580,000 households had higher incomes and half had lower.
Idaho’s growth rate in 2012 tied Oregon’s to rank third nationally. But the actual household income figure ranked 37th among the states and the District of Columbia. Alaska, Delaware, Virginia and Wyoming saw median household income slip from 2011 to 2012.
Nationally, median household income rose 1.7 percent to $51,374.
Idaho’s median household income remains over 4 percent below its peak of $47,576 in 2008 after three years of decline that reduced income 8.9 percent. Only Nevada and Georgia saw greater recession-induced declines.
Chamber to host business mixer
The Hailey Chamber of Commerce is inviting business operators and the public to an Open House Mixer from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26, at the Hailey Chamber Welcome Center, 781 South Main St.
The Open House Mixer will provide an opportunity to learn more about chamber members who do not have a brick-and-mortar space in Hailey. Featured businesses will be: Snake Harley Davidson of Twin Falls, Harrison Suite Plaza of Boise, Edible Idaho South, Hawley Graphics, Jessica Collins Photography, and Style Your Life Designs.
The event will include food from Subway and Big Belly Deli, plus refreshments. Each business is also providing a raffle prize.
Call 788-3484 for more information.
Hailey man named Kiwanis leader
Hailey resident Jim Spinelli has been elected governor for Utah/Idaho of Kiwanis International for the 2013-2014 year. The district includes 59 Kiwanis clubs in the areas of Utah and Idaho.
Spinelli is a nine-year member and three-time past president of the Hailey club, and past lieutenant governor for Division 5 (Hailey and Magic Valley). He is also the recipient of the prestigious Culp and Hixon Awards for Exceptional Service.
Delegates from the Utah/Idaho District elected Spinelli at a recent district conference in Salt Lake City. He will assume office on Oct. 1 and serve for one year.
St. Luke’s Hailey staff honored
St. Luke’s Clinic-Family Medicine patient-access staff in Hailey recently won the Idaho MGMA Community Health Award, in recognition of innovations to improve the health of the community in Idaho. The team won the award for continuing education and obtaining healthcare certification in the area of patient access. Past recipients include Treasure Valley YMCA and Idaho State University Meridian Health Science Center.
IMGMA is a professional association of administrators and managers from a variety of medical practices and facilities throughout Idaho. They are affiliated with Medical Group Management Association (MGMA), a national organization dedicated to the management of medical practices.
Large fruit processor coming to Idaho
TWIN FALLS (AP)— A major fruit processing company says it will expand into Idaho.
Zentis, which claims to be the leading fruit processor in the U.S. and Europe, announced Wednesday it is looking to buy an existing plant in Idaho. But the company didn’t say exactly where it was looking within the state or when it would start operations in Idaho.
Zentis has manufacturing plants in Gardena, Calif., Plymouth, Ind., and Philadelphia. The company makes jams, jellies, marzipan and chocolate specialties, as well as fruit preparations for the baking and dairy industries.
Zentis North America CEO Norbert Weichele wrote in a statement that the planned investment in Idaho will allow the company to better serve its long-term dairy partners.
