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Lauren Edson, LED Performer (performance details below) Photo by Steve Smith Photography
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City of Ketchum
P.O. Box 2315
480 East Avenue N.
Ketchum, Idaho 83340
"Small Town, Big Life"
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Inform * Celebrate * Involve
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A Message from Mayor Nina Jonas: Ketchum Canines - the everywhere companion of K-town
A hike up to the Bald Mountain Trail lookout beholds a map of the Pioneer peaks and a quote from Dave Ketchum, the namesake of Ketchum, Idaho:
"They want'd t' call th' town Leadville, 
but th' govrn'mnt said there was too
many already. So they settled for
Ketchum and I'm right proud they did.
After all, I built th' first cabin here back in
'79 ... Course th' way th' silver's runnin'
out, might not matter what th' town's
name is anyhow. Folks is already headin'
for th' new boomtowns. Heck, we got
more dogs than people now 'days...
Wonder what'll happen t' ol' Ketchum.
Prob'ly dry up an' blow away..."
Dave Ketchum
circa 1890
Trapper, Mountain Man
Mr. Ketchum's prophesy on the future of Ketchum was not correct, but his assertion on the dog vs. human population was not far off. As an example, the city of Ketchum's 56 full-time employees have 67 dog companions! That's a lot of dogs. The Animal Shelter of the Wood River Valley adopts out more pets each year; last year alone, 354 dogs found their forever home.
The adoration of our canine friends says a lot about us as a community. According to a University of Texas study, being a "dog person" may indicate that you are more extroverted, agreeable and conscientious than another. I would agree with that indication and cherish the agreeable and conscientious community that I call home.
To be a Ketchum dog is to have a very good life of hiking, fishing, swimming, playing, boating, hunting, shopping, socializing, skiing, traveling and R&R. Our dogs do everything we do plus often have more play dates.
When I die I want to be reincarnated as a Ketchum dog.
Nina
The Animal Shelter of the Wood River Valley's annual
Dog Days of Summer fundraiser is
July 16
at the
Trail Creek Pavilion in Sun Valley.
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ASK NINA
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Q. I parked in front of a restaurant in the morning for about 15 minutes to have a cup of coffee. I came back that afternoon to shop on the same street, and parked about 30 minutes. I received a warning for overtime parking. What exactly are the parking regulations?
A. Many streets in the community core are limited to two-hour parking in the block. If you park in one block, even if you stay there less than two hours, you may not park in the same block again that day. A "block" is not what many of us would think. It is defined in the Ketchum code as "the length of both sides of a street or avenue between the intersection of two (2) streets or avenues, including the center of the street or avenue." The code
also states that "a vehicle can only park once per day per block," not around the block, but between two blocks. You can read the parking code (10.06) here.
Click here for a map showing areas without parking restrictions.
Ketchum police are placing more focus on enforcing time limits this summer in an effort to make parking available for customers of our local businesses. The city asks downtown businesses to help keep parking spaces available by making their employees aware of the city's parking regulations.
Note: If you submit a question to "Ask Nina," your name may be published unless you request that it be withheld.
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CITY NEEDS YOUR INPUT
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 Community participation has been declining and we need to find new ways to facilitate community input
This is exactly why we are starting new ways of finding out what the community thinks. Meetings are inconvenient and many jurisdictions are facing the same challenge. In today's digital age, people want to respond at their convenience.
We plan to take public comment surveys on major topics before each City Council and Planning & Zoning Commission meeting. Below, you will find surveys on the Helios Development, LLC request to extend the approvals for the Warm Springs Ranch Resort Annexation and Development Agreement and the fiscal year 2016-2017 city budget. We'll also hold roundtable discussions and set up information booths at public events.
We want to hear from everyone - Ketchum residents, business owners, second-home owners and visitors. Whichever group you belong to, your opinion is important to making Ketchum a place where you want to be.
We thank those of you who participated, and hope to hear even more.
At the upcoming City Council meeting on Monday, July 18, Helios Development, LLC's application to extend the approvals for the Warm Springs Ranch Resort Annexation and Development Agreement will be discussed. The staff report can be accessed
here. Please complete this
survey to provide comments to City Council.
An additional survey is available on the city's proposed budget. Have you read the budget? What do you think? The budget can be accessed
here. Click
link to complete the survey.
Comments can also be emailed to participate@ketchumidaho.org.
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WAGON DAYS GRAND MARSHAL SANDY CADY, WITH CITY 42 YEARS
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Sandy Cady, city of Ketchum finance director and a city employee for 42 years, has been named grand marshal of the Wagon Days parade and celebration, held annually over Labor Day weekend.
This November, Cady will retire after 42 years of service. Her history with Wagon Days goes back even further. When she was 5 years old she rode in the parade for the first time, sitting next to her father in their family's buggy.
"Wagon Days has always been a time for family. For me, it was always me and my dad -- our special day together," she said. "The event keeps getting bigger and better every year. When I see the Big Hitch mules pulling the ore wagons, my heart pounds. It gives me butterflies every time."
Cady began her journey with the city in 1974, just shortly after she graduated from high school. Financial records were kept in a ledger by hand, and the city had only 25 employees, half the number it has today.
A lifelong resident of the Wood River Valley, Cady was born in the Sun Valley Lodge in the days that the hospital was located on the Lodge second floor. Today she still keeps in touch with a handful of other locals who were born there.
Being named as grand marshal is only one of the honors she has received. Last year the
Idaho City Clerks, Treasurers and Finance Officers Association presented her with an exceptional service award, the highest honor given by the association.
Her retirement plans? "Hang out with my husband and our family and my dog." You can also expect to see her hiking in the summer and snowshoeing in the winter.
She'll always be at Wagon Days too, the weekend of activities celebrating Ketchum's history. The Big Hitch Parade on Saturday is one of the largest non-motorized parades in the Pacific Northwest and features museum-quality wagons, buggies and stagecoaches, as well as Basque dancers and bands.
The grand finale is Ketchum's own Big Hitch, the Lewis Ore Wagons that were
used in the 1880s to haul ore from backcountry galena mines to the former Philadelphia Smelter on Warm Springs Road.
They are the best-preserved wagons of their kind in existence. A team of 20 mules is hitched to a "jerk line," which takes its name because they are controlled by a series of jerks on the line, and pulls the wagons through town.
Additional information is available at www.wagondays.org.
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KETCHUM HELPS TO CREATE NATION'S 1ST DARK SKY RESERVE
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Today there are 10 areas throughout the world certified as Dark Sky Reserves by the International Dark Sky Association. Reserves consist of public and/or private lands covering at least 700 square kilometers, or about 173,000 acres, offering exceptionally clear starry nights and specific protections to the nocturnal environment.
Ketchum, which adopted its Dark Sky ordinance in 1999, was the first city in Idaho to protect the night sky. Sun Valley and Hailey have since followed suit, and new construction in Blaine County is required to follow dark sky regulations.
The local efforts were inspired by the efforts of "Dr. Dark," or Dr. Stephen Pauley. He is a retired surgeon and amateur astronomer who once sailed to Hawaii on a 42-foot boat, navigating by the stars.
"The night sky is one of the treasures of our community," Mayor Nina Jonas said. "We want to keep the beauty and magic we feel when we look up and have a clear view of the stars without light pollution."
The common heritage of a natural night sky is rapidly becoming unknown to the newest generations, the Dark Sky Association notes. In fact, 80 percent of the world, including millions of children, will never see the Milky Way from their own homes.
The goals of the creation of a Dark Sky Reserve are:
- To identify and honor public or private lands and their surrounding communities for exceptional commitment to and success in implementing the ideals of dark sky preservation;
- To promote eco- and astro-tourism;
- To promote protection of nocturnal habitats, public enjoyment of the night sky and its heritage, and areas ideal for professional and/or amateur astronomy;
- To encourage land administrators, surrounding communities and private interests to identify dark skies as a valuable resource in need of proactive protection;
- To provide international recognition for such sites;
- To encourage other sites to become environmental leaders on dark sky issues by communicating the importance of dark skies and by providing an example of what is possible with proper stewardship.
A dark sky ordinance essentially requires outdoor lights over
a certain brightness to be fully shielded and shine downward. It also is recommended that holiday lighting be turned off after
bedtime.
In addition to preserving natural beauty, dark skies are important to health. Consider these findings of the Dark Sky Association:
- Excessive exposure to artificial light at night has been linked to increased risks for obesity, depression, sleep disorders, diabetes and breast cancer.
- For nocturnal animals, the introduction of artificial light at night could very well be the most devastating change humans have made to their environment. Light pollution also has harmful effects on migrating birds, sea turtle hatchlings and insects.
- There is no clear evidence that increased outdoor lighting deters crime. It may make us feel safer but it does not make us actually safer, according to the association. Bad outdoor lighting can decrease safety by making victims and property easier to see.
- Glare from overly bright, unshielded lighting creates shadows in which criminals can hide. It also shines directly into people's eyes, constricting pupils. This diminishes the ability of the eyes to adapt to low-light conditions and leads to poorer night vision, dangerous to motorists and pedestrians alike.
Another serious side effect of light pollution is wasted energy. This costs money and contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.
A newer concern is "blue" light, the type of light produced by energy-saving LEDs as well as computers, smartphones and other electronic devices. While they save energy, they create more glare.
A database of outdoor lighting fixtures certified as being Dark Sky Friendly is available here.
The International Dark-Sky Association also recognizes parks who meet its criteria. Dead Horse Point State Park in Utah is the newest place to receive a Dark Sky designation.
Share your night-sky experiences and see others by searching on the hashtag #lookup.
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MATTISON SPEAKS AT 'WATER MATTERS'
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She will talk about the city's prohibition on watering landscaping between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. in summer months, the WaterSmart program that helps customers track their usage and offers tips for using less water and saving money, and Ketchum's recent $10,000 state grant to upgrade irrigation systems in city parks.
Mattison also will discuss the recent state loan that is allowing the city to abandon deteriorating, aging lines and how this will save energy and maintenance costs for the city.
Other speakers will be Jae Hill, community development director for the city of Sun Valley; Pat McMahon, general manager of the Sun Valley Water & Sewer District; and landscape architect Kelley Weston.
The program will be from 3-4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 16, in the Harker Center in Elkhorn. Ketchum and Sun Valley residents can register
by calling 622-7420.
Water Metering Tips You Can Use
- Repair leaks on household faucets. Even a small leak can waste three gallons a day.
- Keep showers to five minutes or less. Even a five-minute shower takes 10 to 25 gallons of water.
- Use a broom to sweep your driveway instead of water.
- Use a bucket of water instead of the hose to wash your bike or car.
- Turn water off when you are finished instead of leaving it running.
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FUN FACTS ABOUT WATER
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- Did you know that water makes up 83 percent of our blood, 70 percent of our brain and 90 percent of our lungs?
- The Egyptians started purifying water more than 1,400 years ago. Common methods included boiling it or plunging a heated piece of iron into it.
- Less than 1 percent of the water on earth is fresh water. Approximately 97 percent is salt water and 2 percent is glacier ice at the North and South poles.
Click here for more tips on water and games to teach children about the importance of water.
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ENJOY KETCHUM'S OPEN-AIR CONCERTS
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Mark your calendar for upcoming free concerts in Forest Service and Rotary parks, sponsored by the city and private donors. Picnics and low-back chairs are welcome. Food and beverages also are for sale at the Ketch'em Alive events.
Sunday, July 17:
- "Jazz in the Park" features Boise vocalist Sally Tibbs and Kevin Kirk Jazz Ensemble, Rotary Park, 6-8 p.m.
Tuesday July 19 -
"Ketch'em Alive" brings bluegrass music with national fiddle champion Matthew Hartz and his band, 7-9 p.m., Forest Service Park.
Sunday, July 24 -
"Jazz in the Park" will have a new local band, "Braziliance," playing Brazilian bossa nova and Afro-Cuban classics. Vocalist is Brazilian native Cintia Scola. Rotary Park, 6-8 p.m.
Tuesday July 26:
- "Ketch'em Alive" brings back "Swagger," with Celtic rock dancing tunes played by kilt-clad musicians, 7-9 p.m., Forest Service Park.
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BUSINESS NEWS
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Business After Hours Thursday in Town Square
The Hailey Chamber of Commerce will come to Ketchum Thursday for its first Business After Hours in our city. Stop by Town Square from 5-7 p.m. to enjoy networking and food and beverages provided by two Ketchum restaurants, Grumpy's and Sawtooth Brewery.
Visit Sun Valley to Present Winter Plans
Visit Sun Valley regional marketing organization will present its winter campaign to Ketchum City Council on Monday, July 18.
Catering Permit Duration Extended
A new Idaho law took effect July 1, extending the maximum duration of catering permits from three consecutive days to five consecutive days with the option of up to a 5-day renewal. Catering permits for parties are restricted to two days. A city of Ketchum ordinance was passed on June 6 to provide procedures and guidelines for obtaining alcoholic beverage catering licenses in compliance with the new regulations. Applications should be filed with the city clerk prior to the catering date. Read full ordinance here.
New Nonstop Flights to Portland
Fly Sun Valley Alliance announced new Alaska Airlines air service to Portland beginning Dec. 17. The flight will run twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, for the winter season and the summer 2017 season. This is the first nonstop flight to a ski destination from Portland. Read full press release here.
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WHAT WE'RE READING
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Mayor Nina Jonas 
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NEWS AT A GLANCE
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Support Ketchum Arts Commission at July 15 LED Performance
The Ketchum Arts Commission will hold a fundraiser featuring the Boise-based performing arts group LED (formerly dancers with the Trey McIntyre Project) on Friday, July 15, at 8 p.m. at nexStage Theatre. Proceeds will be used to support future performance arts events as well as visual arts initiatives. Donations of $20 for adults and $10 for children under 16 are requested.
Do-It-Yourself Steps to Saving Water Workshop on July 16
Ketchum is co-sponsoring a series of workshops to promote water-saving landscapes. The final program, "
Do-It-Yourself Steps to Saving Water
," is on Saturday, July 16, from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at Hailey City Hall. Co-sponsors are the cities of Sun Valley and Hailey, and the Wood River Land Trust.
Anticipate Wildfires in Coming Weeks
While the past few days have been cooler and wetter than usual, the end of July and August could become very dangerous for fire behavior, according to Mike Elle, Ketchum chief of fire and EMS.
The Great Basin Coordination Center has issued an advisory urging people to be especially cautious as the wet winter encouraged growth of vegetation that will become increasing dryer as the summer progresses. "Expect hot and dry weather to quickly dry fine fuels and return fire behavior conditions to extreme," the center warned.
It's 'Solar Energy Summer'
Thinking of installing solar? As part of its efforts to create a sustainable city, Ketchum is waiving all fees associated with solar installations now through Sept. 30.
Blaine County Chip Sealing
Blaine County Road and Bridge will conduct chip sealing projects on Tuesday, July 26, on the following streets: Broadway Run, Greenhorn Road, Golden Eagle Road, Foothill Drive, Hospital Drive and Timber Way. Thank you for not parking or storing items in the right-of-way, using caution on loose chips and following all directions for traffic control. Question and concerns should be directed to Andrea Walton at 788-5543
REMINDERS
Follow City's Watering Restrictions
Help preserve our precious water. From June 15 to Sept. 1, sprinkling and watering of outdoor plantings is prohibited between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Exceptions may apply for those using drip- or bubbler-style irrigation systems, or if you have new plantings. Contact the Public Works Utilities Division at 726-7825 to request an exemption. Commercial nurseries are excluded from the prohibitions and restrictions of
city ordinance no. 587
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Keep the Air Clean: Turn Off Idling Engines
It is illegal to leave a vehicle engine idling for three minutes when parked on a Ketchum street.
Drive Safely: No Cell Phones
Ketchum prohibits talking or texting on hand-held devices while driving.
Keep Dogs Safe, Too, On Hot Summer Days
Please remember that interiors of cars can quickly reach temperatures of more than 100 degrees in summer heat, even if the windows are cracked. Ketchum gives police authority to unlock a car to rescue an animal that appears to be in danger.
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MEETING INFORMATION
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City Council
 Attend the next City Council meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, July 18. City Council meetings are held on the first and third Mondays of each month in Ketchum City Hall. Click here to see the agenda and staff reports or scan the QR code.
Planning and Zoning Commission
Attend the next Planning and Zoning Commission meetings at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, July 25. P&Z meetings are held on the second and fourth Mondays of each month in Ketchum City Hall. Click here for agendas and staff reports or scan the QR code.
Public Comment
If you cannot attend the Council or P&Z meetings and would like to express an opinion, please submit your comments via email to participate@ketchumidaho.org. Your input and engagement is encouraged. All comments will be reviewed.
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Subscribers
You are receiving this email because you have requested it or done business with the City of Ketchum in the past. We appreciate our residents, businesses and visitors and look forward to telling you more about Ketchum and receiving your input. To subscribe, click here. If you would like to unsubscribe, please click on the link below.
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City of Ketchum
208-726-3841
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Copyright © 2014. All Rights Reserved.
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