Stories

• Restructure, redesign clothing treasures from The Advocates’ Attic Thrift Store.
• Entries must be received by Friday, Oct. 1.
• Top 20 Attic redesigns will be modeled on the catwalk at The Advocates’ Attic Fashion Show
• Fabulous prizes will be awarded to winners in each category.

The Advocates is sponsoring The Advocates’ Attic Fashion Redesign Contest in conjunction with its Fashion Show in October.  The contest is open to all fashion design enthusiasts and entry forms are available online at www.theadvocates-aplacetogo.org and at The Advocates’ Attic Thrift Store, 12 W. Carbonate St., Hailey. The Advocates’ Attic Fashion Redesign Contest and Fashion Show build awareness of youth education programs on healthy relationships and the prevention of domestic and dating violence. October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

The contest and show are chaired by Hailey resident Pattie Wells, a veteran hair stylist at Tru Spa and the owner of A:nu boutique. A:nu features 100 percent recycled and reconstructed... (more)

SVKCVB Identifies Priorities for New Marketing Era.

The Sun Valley/Ketchum Chamber & Visitors Bureau (SVKCVB) announced today it is refining its program priorities in coordination with the new Sun Valley Resort Area Marketing effort.  Due to a narrowed focus and downsized structure, Executive Director, Carol Waller, will be stepping down from her position.  The move comes as the 450-member SVKCVB resets its priorities on events, business referrals and services, and enhancement of the visitor center.

“We’ve been working to refresh our priorities with the new Marketing group, and Carol has shown exceptional professionalism and leadership in helping chart a new course for the CVB“ noted Rob Santa, Board President.

Waller has been the CVB’s Executive Director since 1997 and during her tenure the SVKCVB has successfully promoted tourism and created many new events spurring community economics.

“A new course is being laid to market the area and with change come new opportunities for the community and for me... (more)

Residents and visitors of the Wood River Valley will be able to purchase the newest way to save money and support increased airline traffic into Friedman Memorial Airport in Hailey, starting Monday, August 16.

Deemed the Access Sun Valley Card, this membership card allows residents, part time residents and visitors to save money throughout the valley - ranging from merchandise, meals to a variety of services at participating businesses. Over 100 businesses are expected to sign up for the Access Sun Valley Card in the valley.

 “This is a great opportunity for local businesses to increase their revenue all year long while offering substantial savings to consumers,” said Neil Morrow, Airline Program Manager, Fly Sun Valley Alliance. “The businesses that have committed to us thus far range from retail and restaurants, to garden centers and fitness centers, skating lessons, and even auto services.”

Consumers can purchase the Access Sun Valley Card for $150 annually. The Card offers a variety of value added savings... (more)

Citing shared goals for the present and the future, the Sun Valley/Ketchum Chamber & Visitors Bureau (SVKCVB) announces its commitment to support and work in close cooperation with the newly formed Sun Valley Regional Area Marketing Board.

SVKCVB Board Chair Rob Santa said, “Both organizations are dedicated to restoring the Sun Valley/Ketchum economy. We also agree on the need for increased marketing to ensure a vibrant future for our community.”

The SVKCVB, with the support of the Marketing Board, has been awarded a $201,000 grant from the Idaho Travel Council.

“We look forward to working with the CVB, especially as it relates to the development and funding of improved web-based marketing,” according to Jake Peters, Marketing Board representative. “Each organization realizes the benefit of good communication and coordination.”

Santa reiterated the SVKCVB’s commitment to continuity of important programs.

“As the Marketing Board has only recently been formed, the SVKCVB pledges to help ensure critical continuity of... (more)

Facing overwhelming community opposition and a skeptical county government, developers of the proposed Magic Valley nuclear reactor surrendered Tuesday and withdrew their rezoning application in Elmore County, retrenching instead to Payette County.

Alternate Energy Holdings, Inc., issued a news release Tuesday saying it would “move forward exclusively on a proposed nuclear power plant in Payette County, Idaho (sic) and, in turn, has withdrawn its zoning application in Elmore County, Idaho.” AEHI said it recently identified a “new Idaho backup site adjacent to the current site in Payette County to replace the Elmore site,” although when it first announced that backup site the company said it would continue to pursue building a reactor in Elmore County.

“How lucky for Payette County to have ‘exclusive’ rights to Idaho’s nuclear booby prize,” Snake River Alliance Executive Director Andrea Shipley said. “Idahoans can be excused for scratching their heads... (more)

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is in Boise Monday to hear public comment on a proposal by Areva Enrichment Services to build a uranium enrichment factory between Idaho Falls and the Idaho National Laboratory. A second meeting will take place in Idaho Falls on Thursday.

The NRC had originally planned to hold a lone public meeting in Idaho Falls on its Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Concerned a single public meeting would restrict public involvement in the hugely controversial project, the Snake River Alliance mobilized its membership, leading to more than 200 comments asking the NRC to hold at least one additional public meeting in Boise. Mayor Dave Bieter also wrote the NRC to urge it hold a meeting on Areva’s “Eagle Rock Enrichment Facility” in Boise.

In an e-mail to Snake River Alliance Executive Director Andrea Shipley, NRC Senior Environmental Project Manager Stephen Lemont notified the Alliance of its change of heart.

“In addition to the August 12 Idaho Falls... (more)

In July, the Sun Valley/Ketchum CVB hosted 8 travel journalists and photographers from the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) on a press trip to Sun Valley in an effort to generate future media coverage on the area in key target publications.  The journalists write for a variety of media outlets including, Air, Horizon Air, VIA (AAA California), Los Angeles Daily News, Long Beach Press Telegram, Chicago Tribune, , Westways, Orange County Register, Coast to Coast, Global Traveler, Alo Hayati, and Bay Area News Group

Prior to their visit, the journalists, along with 40 other travel journalists and public relations representatives, met for 5 days in Boise for the 2010 Western Chapter meeting of SATW, hosted by the Boise CVB.  SVKCVB staff also attended that meeting and pitched Sun Valley stories to all those in attendance.

During their visit to Sun Valley, the journalists stayed at the Sun Valley Resort, and participated in a variety of recreational and cultural activities including fly-fishing,... (more)

Avista Utilities, which serves much of northern Idaho’s electric and gas customers, has settled with several customer groups in its current general rate case, and if approved by the PUC the agreement will mean a smaller rate case than proposed. Also, the Boise City Climate Protection Program Advisory Committee meets tomorrow morning (Wednesday) to explore a number of energy-saving initiatives. And the PUC has accepted Idaho Power’s 2009 plan on how it will meet future energy needs over the next two decades.

I: Avista Reaches Settlement with Stakeholders in Latest Rate Case

Spokane-based Avista Corp., which provides electric and natural gas service to much of northern Idaho, has joined the staff of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission in asking the PUC to approve a rate case settlement agreement that could mean higher rates – though not as high as the utility first sought.

Avista filed its application with the PUC last week. The PUC is not bound to accept the proposed settlement agreement,... (more)

Lava Lake Lamb is the largest private landowner in the southern Pioneer Mountains and runs a grass-fed natural and organic lamb operation.  They also run their sheep bands across large public land allotments through the Pioneers.  Not insignificantly, they are very dedicated conservationists with both how they manage their private land and their footprint on the public lands they get to use.

ICL plugged into the work of Lava Lake through the Pioneer Alliance, a broad-based effort to retain the great conservation values of the vast Pioneer landscape ranging from Craters of the Moon, through a largely undeveloped expanse of private ranchlands, and into the foothills and high peaks of the Pioneer range near Ketchum.

Over the weekend I joined the Lava Lake crew as they herded a band of sheep out off the hills and into a remote corral in a wonderful valley and the next morning separated lambs from ewes for shipment.  This is a long-practiced business and tradition in this part of Idaho and it was interesting... (more)

Transmission lines are the theme of the week. BLM and the U.S. Forest Service set a series of scoping meetings to gather public sentiment on Idaho Power’s proposed Boardman to Hemingway transmission line. Meanwhile, BLM said it’s delaying this summer’s release of an EIS on the Gateway West transmission line from the coal and renewable energy generation plants in central Wyoming across southern Idaho. And Boise- based U.S. Geothermal is making progress on a new geothermal power plant at its San Emidio project in Nevada, while the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has agreed to hold a second Idaho hearing on the controversial proposed Areva uranium enrichment factory near Idaho Falls

I: BLM to Prepare EIS for Boardman-Hemingway Transmission Line

Federal land managers have set a series of scoping meetings in Idaho and Oregon to gather public comment on Idaho Power’s proposed Boardman to Hemingway transmission line.

The Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service in Oregon are actually... (more)

The Sawtooth Botanical Garden is proud to announce that nearly $120,000 was raised during the 15 Annual Garden Tour and the Gimlets in the Garden Party, both of which occurred on July 17!  This is a record amount of money to have been raised by the Garden that is now in its 16 year.  The Garden Tour which focused on homes with water features in Elkhorn, Sun Valley and Ketchum enjoyed a 20% increase over the previous year.  The day was capped by the sold out Gimlet’s in the Garden Party where $50,000 was given during the exciting “Paddle Up” with master of ceremonies R.L. Rowsey of Company of Fools energizing the crowd.  Event goers then danced the evening away to music by Onomatopoeia and Sally Tibbs.  The proceeds from these events benefit the Sawtooth Botanical Garden’s many educational programs, garden development and maintenance and other areas of need.

The Sawtooth Botanical Garden is a community resource showcasing native and cultivated plants that flourish at high altitude and... (more)

Unveils Ski Film Slate and National Film Tour for Upcoming Ski Season

Steve Bellamy, Chairman and CEO of The Ski Channel television network (http://www.theskichannel.com), announced today that it has entered into a long-term distribution agreement with Comcast that will provide the channel’s original programming, Warren Miller movies, Greg Stump films, destination travel, instructional videos and events to Comcast On Demand customers.  This deal brings the 18-month-old network to more than 43 million US households between all television distributors.  Additionally, the network has produced a slate of original films and will launch a national film tour in the fall.

“Our deal with Comcast enables us to reach skiers and snow sports enthusiasts in destination ski areas and local and ski destination feeder markets,” said Bellamy.  “The fact that Comcast is innovative and advancing television technology enhances the value proposition immensely for us as we too are on the cutting... (more)

Robert W. Bartlett II, 76, retired attorney and newspaper reporter, died Tuesday at his home in Hailey after a two-year battle with cancer.
 
A Wood River Valley resident for 25 years, he was best known for his twin passions: a commitment to the environment and a commitment to helping the “little guy” find his way through the legal system.
 
“Bob cared passionately about the kind of world that he would be leaving to his grandnieces and grandnephews. He was a donor to environmental organizations. He spoke tirelessly with conservation leaders and offered his opinions and suggestions for direction,” said state Rep. Wendy Jaquet.
 
“As an attorney, Bob was well known in the vulnerable communities as a ‘go-to guy’ whenever someone needed help,” she added. He worked at reduced fees for dozens of people who otherwise could not have afforded legal help.

 A lifelong bachelor, he liked having his friends around. When he moved to Idaho from San Francisco, he first lived in a condo carefully selected for... (more)

The Gimlets in the Garden Party, one of the valley's most anticipated events held at the gorgeous Sawtooth Botanical Garden is right around the corner!  After the Garden Tour on Saturday, July 17, 10am-2pm, it's time for cocktails, hors d'oeuvres and dancing at the Sawtooth Botanical Garden!  Please join us at 6pm for the Gimlets in the Garden Party and enjoy a cooling Gimlet, sumptuous food catered by CIRO and music by Kevin Kirk & Onomatopoeia with Sally Tibbs. We'll have our silent auction with such fabulous items as a week in Buenos Aires, a private concert at the Garden by the Langroise Trio, a Joe Castle Sculpture, food and wine packages and more.  We'll also draw the winning raffle ticket for our $10,000 VISA Gift Card.  Theatrical and musical figure, R.L. Rowsey from Company of Fools, will keep us entertained as our Master of Ceremonies!

Please support the Garden and it's many programs by attending the Sawtooth Botanical Garden's most important fundraiser of the year!

Gimlets Party... (more)

A General Electric subsidiary has purchased a majority stake in an 11-project wind farm complex in southern Idaho, finally clearing the way for development of the 122-turbine project. Meanwhile, Idaho Power has asked the PUC to approve a contract to buy power from a 10MW solar farm, and the utility has received the PUC green light to buy power from three Magic Valley digester generators. The PUC also approved Rocky Mountain Power’s request in part to raise the rate it charges to fund conservation programs.

 I: General Electric Takes Majority Interest 11 Idaho Wind Projects

Construction of 11 southern Idaho wind projects that were approved by the Public Utilities Commission about five years ago is expected to finally begin now that energy giant General Electric has purchased a majority stake in the concern.

The $500 million complex, a group of 11 wind farms, were developed by Montana-based Exergy Development Group, which in 2005 reached 20-year agreements with Idaho Power to sell the energy. Most... (more)

Idaho State statues declare Minimum Stream Flow (MSF) a beneficial use for the purpose of preserving streams in the interest of Idahoans. Per the state of Idaho, “public health, safety and welfare require that the streams of this state and their environments be protected against loss of water supply to preserve the minimum stream flows required for the protection of fish and wildlife habitat, aquatic life, recreation, aesthetic beauty, transportation and navigation values, and water quality.” (Idaho Code § 42-1501)

 This legislation was enacted in 1978 to preserve stream flows for public health, safety, and welfare by providing the opportunity for minimum stream flows to be a legitimate water right.  A MSF right can be created for fish protection, wildlife habitat, water quality, aesthetics, recreation, navigation, transportation, protection of assimilative stream capacity, or any combination of these.  Before a MSF can be established it must be found to be in the public interest.

 The Idaho... (more)

Sun Valley/Ketchum CVB continues to actively work on generating national and regional media coverage on the area through ongoing public relations efforts, with a special emphasis this spring and summer on Sun Valley as a top biking destination. In the spring, the SVKCVB pr outreach efforts garnered national coverage for the new Sun Valley Rhythm & Ride: Bike & Music Festival event in over 15different national online bike and regional media outlets, such as dirtragmag.com, driveawayadventures.com, Mtbr.com, Adventurecycling.com, Boise Weekly, Idaho Statesman,etc.

In addition to coordinating the marketing, social media and publicity for the inaugural event, held last week, the SVKCVB hosted a journalist from Bend, OR which resulted in a in the Bend Bulletin on June 20. “We got calls immediately after that story came out,” noted Carrie Westergard, SVKCVB Marketing Director. During the festival weekend, the SVKCVB worked with Sun Valley Champion Rebecca Rusch and Greg Martin to help bring in and host... (more)

Three Wood River Valley bridge players took honors in the recent American Contract Bridge League regional tournament in Denver.

A four-person team composed of Peter Gray, Marilyn Nesbit and Jim Siegel, all of the Wood River Valley, and Haig Tchamitch of Scottdale, Ariz., took first in the Mt. Elbert Knockout competition.

Nesbit and Siegel also placed in two other events, and Gray in one additional events.

The Bridge Club of the Wood River offers four duplicate bridge games a week, including a “party duplicate” game for new players, and lessons.

For additional information, call Peter Gray at 726-5997 or visit the Web site at www.woodriverbridge.com. For information about bridge lessons, call Jo Murray at 720-1501 or visit the Web site at www.SunValleyBridge.com.

Jo Murray is a member of the Bridge Club of the Wood River.

The Sun Valley Ketchum Chamber & Visitors Bureau (SVKCVB) endorses a new and expanded marketing direction for the community as has been discussed over the past few months.  The SVKCVB promotes tourism and economic vitality by providing visitor services, events, and support to a membership of 450 local businesses and organizations – the backbone of our community - who are indispensable partners in this effort.

At Friday’s regular monthly meeting, the SVKCVB Board of Directors voted to streamline the board by downsizing to ten directors – to better facilitate increased engagement, communication, and program implementation.   The new board will immediately formulate a plan to ensure an effective transition between current and future marketing initiatives, in order to keep the momentum going.

“It is critical to refresh and expand this area’s marketing to increase the awareness of the Sun Valley area and spur economic growth,” commented Rob Santa, President of the SVKCVB.

“The CVB board thanks... (more)

The Sawtooth Botanical Garden has been very excited by the response to the 2010 Garden Tour & Gimlets in the Garden Raffle!  This is the 15th anniversary of the Garden Tour and we wanted to celebrate the occasion in a spectacular way by offering a $10,000 prize!  The Raffle winner will receive a $10,000 VISA Gift Card and there's still time for you to get your ticket!

The drawing will take place on July 17 during the Gimlets in the Garden Party which is held at the Sawtooth Botanical Garden.  Raffle tickets are $25 each, with no more than 1,000 tickets being sold, you need not be present to win.  You can purchase your Raffle tickets NOW by calling the Garden at 208.726.9358 or by visiting our website www.sbgarden.org and emailing us at info@sbgarden.org.  The odds are terrific, so don’t miss your chance to win!

The Garden Tour & Gimlets in the Garden Party will be held on July 17, 2010.  The Garden Tour, which will take you through seven exquisite gardens in Elkhorn, Sun Valley and... (more)

Zenergy, Sun Valley's premier Health Club & Spa, is featured on CNBC.COM as one of The Most Luxurious Fitness Clubs Across America.  Zenergy is listed fourth in the line-up of ten clubs in America; they are in the company of some very impressive facilities. Please note that the description lists the highest level of initiation fee, as opposed to the part-time resident or health club membership rates.

 http://www.cnbc.com/id/37829035

Zenergy is offering an Open House this Saturday, June 26^th from 8:00am-5:00pm for non-members to stop by and experience the club for themselves.  Includes use of the gym, squash court, yoga, group fitness, and indoor cycling classes (excludes use of the pools). Discounts available for select membership types for anybody that joins this week, or on the day of the Open House.

By John Pluntze

Sun Valley Mountain Bike Champion Rebecca Rusch, a three-time 24-hour Solo Mountain Bike World Champion, named Sun Valley as her very favorite/top mountain biking destination in the entire country, so it only seems fitting that the first ever "Rhythm & Ride Bike and Music Festival" ( www.SVRhythmandRide.com / 866-305-9798 ) take place here -- which it will, starting this Wednesday (June 23), at 6 p.m., at Ketchum's Forest Service Park.

Four subsequent days' worth of biking-oriented events take place as well, including a day of great music in Hailey's Hop Porter Park on Friday night (courtesy of Zap Mama ( www.myspace.com/zapmama ), starting at 7 p.m., and also more great music on Saturday in Ketchum/SunValley, from 3-9 p.m. or so, at the Sun Valley Meadow (just east of Our Lady Of the Snows Catholic Church), courtesy of Santa Cruz, California's SambaDa ( http://www.sambada.com ), Brooklyn's The Pimps Of Joytime ( http://www.thepimpsofjoytime.com / www.myspace.... (more)

Jo Murray, principal in Jo Murray Public Relations in Ketchum, is quoted in an American Express online business-oriented publication, Open Forum, on “How Much Pro Bono Work Is Too Much?”

 The article notes that Murray sets “ground rules to head off pro bono project inefficiency at the pass.”  In order to avoid sometimes conflicting instructions from board members and other volunteers, Murray asks pro bono clients to name one person as coordinator, just as she does with business clients.

 Murray, who specializes in news media relations, has offices in Ketchum and San Francisco. She opened the Ketchum office in 2002.

 Additional information is available at www.JoMurrayPublicRelations.com or by calling 726-5869.  The complete article is available at http://www.openforum.com/idea-hub/topics/money/article/how-m.

BCRD Sawtooth Century, Sat, June 26

Get ready for 100 (or 50) miles of great road biking fun from Ketchum, over Galena Pass to Alturas Lake and back again!  The BCRD Sawtooth Century is a fully supported one day tour offering both half and full century routes and the return of the popular "King & Queen of the Mountain" competition.  Both ride routes start in downtown Ketchum at the Elephant’s Perch and pass through Elkhorn and Sun Valley before heading north.  Half-century (50 mile) riders will proceed to the turn-around at historic Galena Lodge.  Full-century riders will continue up and over Galena Summit en route to the turn-around at Alturas Lake. The King & Queen of the Mountain competition will recognize the fastest male and female riders on the 6-mile climb up the south side of Galena Summit.  A portion of the proceeds from the Tour will go to the Wood River Bike Coalition. Participants can register now at SportsBaseOnline.com. Entry for the Sawtooth Century is $75. ... (more)