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Ketchum Resident Donates Souvenir Ketchum Masks to Help Address COVID
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Saturday, August 1, 2020
 

STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

COVID CURVES BY PAUL RIES

The City of Ketchum is handing out 3,000 blue face masks imprinted with Ketchum’s logo boasting mountains, pines, the Big Wood River and a wagon wheel. The masks also bear the town’s logo “Small town. Big life.”

The masks were donated by Kathleen Phelan Britt, who may be most renowned for her impressive multi-terraced gardens in Warm Springs, which dazzle with Himalayan poppies and other plants that are rather exotic for the Sun Valley area.

“Kathleen wanted to help the community by providing free masks to protect those who didn’t have them,” said Ketchum Mayor Neil Bradshaw. “Her generous donation is much appreciated by myself and our community.”

The city handed out masks at the retirement party for Ketchum Police Chief Dave Kassner Thursday afternoon. The remainder will be available at Ketchum City Hall until they run out.

VANDALS HEAD FOR THE END ZONE IN TESTING

While Boise State University officials say they will not be able to test students returning to campus this month as planned, the University of Idaho announced this week that it will conduct 24,000 tests on returning students, turning the results around in 24 hours.

Students will alternate in-person classrooms with online instruction to reduce the number of people in buildings, according to KTVB.

NEW DRESS CODE FOR STUDENTS

Students will need to add a mask to their wardrobe this year in Boise.

The Boise School District has ordered 90,000 face masks as it prepares to start school. Central District Health is requiring face masks in all public schools and universities in Ada County this fall. The mandate  does not include child care facilities.

About 14 percent of Boise School District’s 3,500 students have enrolled in that district’s online school program as of this week, according to KTVB.

Idaho’s virtual schools are also seeing enrollments up as much as 45 percent as the school year approaches.

Virtual schools include Idaho Technical Career Academy, Inspire Connections Academy and Gem Prep Online.

WHY NOT JUST HANG IT ON A CLOTHES LINE?

Money laundering might not be the best way of dealing with real or imagined COVID cooties, an Associated Press article revealed on Friday.

One South Korean put banknotes in a washing machine to wash away any traces of the coronavirus that might be on it and lost $19,320 in bills.

The Bank of Korea replaced $4,370 worth of bills for another South Korean after that person tried to kill any virus that might be on them by heating them in the microwave.

SKIING DURING COVID

Aspen Skiing Company’s CEO has told skiers that they may not be able to rack up the vertical they have in past seasons as chairlifts and gondolas will no longer be loaded to capacity to ensure physical distancing. Facial coverings will be mandated. And outdoor seating will be expanded with covers and heat where possible.

JACKSON FEELS THE PINCH

More than 40,000 visitors a day are streaming through Jackson, with the number on some days over 2019 levels, according to National Geographic.

Many of the tourists—some who come from virus hotspots like Texas, Florida, Arizona and California--are surprised to learn COVID-19 exists in the areas at all, given the picturesque mountain vistas and wildflower-blanketed meadows.

In May a mass community testing event of 1,346 Jackson residents turned up negative results after the town effectively eliminated the virus. Now, two months later, case numbers have tripled in a week.

To combat the surge, the valley’s chamber has handed out 122,000 masks and implemented a Clean, Careful, Connected campaign.

PACK THE SKI PANTS WITH THE BOOKS

A school in Provo, Utah, will hold school this year under 33 canopies purchased at Costco. Aspire Scholar Academy has told parents their new dress code involves lots of sun block and, eventually, snow pants.

“The kids don’t want Zoom,” a member of the school board told The New York Times. “They want to be together.”

Many New York City schools moved classes outdoors during the tuberculosis outbreak of the early 1900s, the article noted.

Meanwhile…a ceremony for new American citizens was held outside the federal courthouse in Boise. And a cabaret troupe in Grand Rapids, Mich., is driving to people’s homes, putting on performances in driveways and yards.

THE COST OF TEACHING DURING COVID

The cost of providing sanitizer, wipes, thermometers and other materials needed for the first line of defense could run around $33 per student—over $1.5 billion nationwide—according to a report by the American Association of School Administrators.

What’s more, it could cost $26,000 to deep clean a school, $192,605 for the average school district to provide face masks and $500,000 to upgrade ventilation systems with UV lighting, according to GOBankingRates. That doesn’t include the cost of online materials and increased transportation costs to allow physical distancing on buses.

Some universities, such as Clemson University, say they are spending $50 million or more to reopen.

OUCH

The state of Idaho gained 13 new COVID-related deaths on Friday--its deadliest day ever. In all, 189 Idahoans have now died of COVID.

FIRE CONTINUES RAMPAGE

The Drops Fire, which started before 10 a.m. Friday near the Shoshone landfill, continues to spread fueled by winds and near-record temperatures. The fire is moving north and west through sagebrush and lava away from Shoshone.

At least 15 engines responded on Friday, plus air attack.

Containment is expected by 4 p.m. Aug. 2 and control by 6 p.m. Aug. 5.


 

~  Today's Topics ~


Lou Whittaker Leaves Behind a Legacy of Mountaineering and Storytelling

Free Range Poetry Society to Hold Second Gathering Tonight

Easter Bunny to Begin Hopping Friday
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
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