Fire closure area opened for winter
The Ketchum Ranger District has lifted closure of areas burned by the Beaver Creek Fire for the winter.
District Ranger Kurt Nelson said most of the closures will be reinstated in the spring. He said the district will open areas for non-winter use as hillsides become stabilized.
Most national forest roads on the district have been closed to motorized use for the winter.
Committee passes bill for snowmobile access
A bill to more actively manage forests in Montana that also includes snowmobile access from Idaho has been passed by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
The Forest Jobs and Recreation Act directs forest and watershed restoration projects to be undertaken in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge and Kootenai national forests in Montana.
“The Forest Jobs and Recreation Act will designate and provide land for forest management projects such as hazardous fuels reductions and provide timber materials for mills, creating jobs and all the good things that flow from job creation,” said Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho. “It also designates some areas as wilderness.
“Although this law applies to Montana lands, it directly affects Idahoans. The original proposal closed the southern portion of Mt. Jefferson to snowmobiling. This area is accessed directly from Idaho and is enjoyed by Idahoans who snowmobile in that area. I have heard from many Idahoans protesting that closure.
The bill will now be considered by the full Senate.
Club Ride Apparel raises capital
Ketchum-based Club Ride Apparel announced this month that it has signed an agreement with Royal Street Investment & Innovation Center to fund the company with $1 million in additional capital to support its expansion and growth.
“Club Ride is emerging as a premium brand in what we view as the next frontier of the broader marketplace of cycling,” said Royal Street President Jeff Stowell. “We feel like Club Ride is an outstanding fit for our portfolio and that they strongly represent the growth opportunity.”
Club Ride CEO Scott Montgomery said he “could not be more pleased to add such a strong partner to our growing company.”
According to a news release from Club Ride, the company is a pioneer in the emerging casual-technical cycling segment.
“The Royal Street investment will help to ensure the company’s continued expansion and growth in increased product offerings, marketing, product development and sales initiatives,” the release states.
Red Cross offers holiday safety tips
The American Red Cross is urging people to take extra precautions while cooking and decorating around the holidays.
“Cooking is the leading cause of home fires, and as people are cooking, entertaining and stringing lights this holiday season, we’re urging that they take safety measures to ensure that their homes and loved ones are safe from the threat of fire,” said Nicole Sirak Irwin, CEO of the Greater Idaho Region.
The Red Cross has some simple steps everyone can follow to prevent home fires around the holidays:
• Test your smoke alarms.
• Check food regularly while cooking and remain in the home while cooking. Use a timer as a reminder that the stove or oven is on.
• Enforce a “kid-free zone” in the cooking area and make children stay at least three feet away from the stove.
• Keep anything that can catch fire away from the stove, oven or any appliance in the kitchen that generates heat.
• Clean cooking surfaces on a regular basis to prevent grease buildup.
• Buy a fire extinguisher to keep in the kitchen. Contact the local fire department to receive training on the proper use of extinguishers.
St. Luke’s has healing touch instructor
Physical therapist Mary Kay Foley recently completed training to become a certified Level 1 healing touch instructor.
According to a news release from St. Luke’s Wood River, Foley is the first certified healing touch practitioner in the Wood River Valley. She attended classes in Idaho, California and Hawaii to receive this advanced certification.
Individual healing touch treatments are available at St. Luke’s Wood River and St. Luke’s Clinic in Hailey.
Healing touch is an energy-based approach to health and healing. Practitioners use their hands above or on the body, using a gentle touch, with the intent of affecting the body’s energy fields.
“I am excited to finally be able to train community members interested in learning this technique,” Foley said. “I have a strong commitment to healing touch because it works. It complements conventional health care and has an incredible impact on healing.
For more information or to schedule a healing touch treatment, contact Foley at 727-8417.