Hailey parade to be live-streamed
This year, the Fourth of July parade in Hailey will be streamed live on the Internet for those who cannot attend.
Viewers from around the world will be able to watch the parade live as it happens from their computers, tablets or smart phones.
“Normally, I shoot video, but this year I will steam it live worldwide,” said Maurice Goulet, a software engineer living in Hailey.
Goulet said a live feed will be available starting at noon on Friday, shot from a camera in front of the Hailey Chamber of Commerce announcer’s table.
To access the streaming website, go to http://idalive.com and download the necessary applications.
Ketchum joins Western ski association
To increase access to data from other Western ski towns, the city of Ketchum joined the Colorado Association of Ski Towns, according to a June 30 news release from the city.
Benefits of membership include quarterly reports on comparative sales tax receipts, association-wide surveying, newsletter subscription discounts and help in identifying short-term rental owners and tax collection.
Membership costs $600 dollars annually, according to Lisa Enourato, the city’s assistant to the city administrator and communications coordinator. The Colorado-based organization now has five out-of-state members including Ketchum.
F&G to revisit decision on youths
Idaho Fish and Game reported that it has heard from many concerned hunters and parents about its decision this week to allow 9- through 11-year-olds to remain in the recently completed controlled hunt drawing. In response, Fish and Game Director Virgil Moore has decided to give this a second look and will make an announcement early next week.
A new law that took effect July 1 allows young hunters to hunt big game if they are at least 10 by the time they go hunting. Because the first drawing occurred before July 1, these young hunters were ineligible to apply. However, it appears that many parents were not aware of this because more than 1,000 ineligible youngsters were entered into the drawing, mainly as part of group applications, the department stated in a press release. Fish and Game decided to allow these young hunters to remain in the drawing due to administrative and customer service reasons, which include avoiding a delay in releasing the drawing results.
The department stated that it has received numerous phone calls and emails from hunters all over the state who feel that a different solution is necessary. It is revisiting the situation to discuss whether there is a more suitable way to rectify this decision. The discussion will continue during the next several days until a final plan of action is reached.
New WiFi hotspots in Wood River Valley
Cox high-speed Internet users in the area have 45 new WiFi hotspots to use throughout Hailey, Bellevue and Sun Valley and Ketchum, the company announced this week.
Go to www.cox.com/hotspots and enter your current location to find nearby hotspots. To access the network, find Cox WiFi in your list of available networks and enter your Cox user ID and password.
Cox customers may additionally use hotspots from Cable WiFi, with 250,000-plus hotspots throughout the country.
ITD delays decision on 80-mph limit
A planned increase in interstate speed limits to 80 mph on rural sections of I-84, I-86 and I-15 will be delayed as the Idaho Transportation Department reviews input expressed since an announcement of the change early this week.
The department has completed the review of speed studies, crash analysis and engineering review, and will present that to the Idaho Transportation Board in Coeur d’Alene on July 11.
The increased speed limit, approved by the Legislature during the 2014 session, also increase the truck speed limit to 70 mph. The department continues to study I-90 for potential increases.
“This will allow a thoughtful and inclusive review, ensuring safety,” said ITD Chief Operations Officer Jim Carpenter.
Boise River stocked with salmon
The Idaho Department of Fish and Game will release chinook salmon into the Boise River today, July 2 sometime after noon at Glenwood Bridge, the Americana Bridge and Barber Park.
Any angler wishing to harvest chinook salmon from the Boise River must possess a valid Idaho fishing license and a salmon permit. Anglers will be allowed to keep two chinook salmon per day, regardless of size. The possession limit will be six.
Jack salmon (those less than 24 inches) are included in those limits. Adult salmon (24 inches or longer) must be recorded on an angler’s salmon permit. For a complete list of rules for chinook fishing on the Boise River, pick up a rules brochure at any Fish and Game office. The brochure is also available online at www.fishandgame.idaho.gov/fish/chinook.
ERC gets grant from CSI class
Valley resident Hadley DeBree, one of 24 students in a College of Southern Idaho grant-writing class, has won a $250 grant for the nonprofit Environmental Resource Center.
The grant is for the ERC to expand its Growing Great Minds school outreach program to local preschool-aged students. Growing Great Minds is a collaborative effort between the ERC, U.S. Forest Service, Blaine County 4-H and Sawtooth Botanical Garden to provide Blaine County public and private school teachers with a comprehensive resource and team-taught curriculum on environmental education.
The ERC also recently received a $750 grant from the Little Black Dress Club donors group to support the program.
City recognized for Climate Challenge
The Association of Idaho Cities recognized the city of Hailey with an achievement award on June 18 during the annual AIC conference in Boise. The award recognized the Hailey Community Climate Challenge for its contribution to economic growth and the quality of life in the city.
The conference featured interactive workshops and sessions to showcase community successes.
The Climate Challenge included several initiatives to make the city of Hailey more eco-friendly and sustainable.
The Association of Idaho Cities, formed in 1947, is a nonpartisan, nonprofit corporation organized to serve Idaho’s 200 incorporated cities.
Highway work to be suspended for holiday
Work that could impact travel will be suspended on all Idaho Transportation Department highway construction projects statewide for the Fourth of July holiday, including in the Wood River Valley.
ITD requires contractors on highway construction projects to postpone work on any highway, except for normal maintenance operations, during the extended holiday weekend (July 3-5) if it could delay the traveling public. Work is allowed on the highway shoulders or anywhere else not impacting traffic.
“Contractors have no interest in working over the holiday, just like most of us,” said ITD Chief Operations Officer Jim Carpenter. “Most would take these days off anyway, even if it was not required.”
ITD also reminds drivers not to drink and drive, to buckle up, follow the posted speed limit and call 5-1-1 or check 511.idaho.gov for highway travel conditions.
Custer Day event to be held July 12
The 16th annual Custer Day will be held Saturday, July 12, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Custer Day celebrates the history of Idaho mining towns, and is sponsored by the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation, the Land of the Yankee Fork Historical Association and the Salmon-Challis National Forest.
The Custer town site is up the Yankee Fork River drainage northeast of Stanley. Parking will be at the Yankee Fork Gold Dredge with a free shuttle to the Custer town site.
The Gem State Fiddlers will be playing. Visitors can partake in butter churning, Dutch oven cooking and homemade, hand-churned ice cream demonstrations. The ice cream and Dutch oven cooking samples can be savored by all.
The Gold Panner Association will also be in town teaching gold panning to visitors. There will be cross-cut saw and treadle sewing machine demonstrations. Marksmanship demonstrations and melodramas will be performed throughout the day.
The museum and gift shop will be open for the day, and hamburgers, hotdogs and old fashioned soda beverages will be available for purchase.
