Quilts of Valor
Scott Carr was presented with a special quilt on Saturday to honor his service in the U.S.
November 2023
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Payette cleans historic oil pit
A large hole was dug and refilled after the Payette National Forest found soil contaminated by motor oil next to the McCall Ranger Station on Lake Street and Mission Street.The site directly west of the ranger station was used as a pit to dump waste from a mechanic shop from 1923 until the 1970s.
Chronic wasting disease found in deer south of New Meadows
Chronic wasting disease was found in a deer killed by a hunter seven miles south of New Meadows, marking the first time the fatal disease has been found outside an isolated area North of Riggins.“Radio-collar data indicates that deer using Blue Bunch Ridge also spend time in the McCall area, potentially exposing town deer to the disease,” said Regional Wildlife Manager Regan Berkley.Typically, 50 to 60 deer die each year in McCall, mostly from traffic accidents.
Cascade Fire burns donated home for practice
Cascade firefighters participated in a unique training exercise on Saturday when they were asked to purposefully burn down a home to practice extinguishing a house fire.The home was donated for the training exercise by Brad Howlett, who has volunteered for Cascade fire in the past and knows the value in live fire training and how hard houses are to come by to train in, said Cascade Fire Chief Steve Hull.“He donated the house because it had mold in it and planned on tearing it down.
Mountaineers back on ice versus Reno
The McCall Mountaineers hockey team is back on the ice this winter and will host the Reno Ice Raiders at the Manchester Ice and Events Centre for a two-game homestand this weekend.The teams feature an eventful rivalry that took off last season, with close games and series splits.The last time McCall and Reno shared the ice, the Ice Raiders tied the game with seconds left in regulation, only to watch the Mountaineers snare a golden goal victory, 8-7, in overtime.
Payette acquires wilderness property
The Payette National Forest recently purchased a 39-acre property along the Salmon River in the Frank-Church River of No Return Wilderness.The “Surprise Load” property about two miles upstream from the MacKay Bar Bridge, was purchased in 2021 by the Wilderness Land Trust, a Helena, Montana nonprofit that acquires private land for transfer to public ownership in designated wilderness areas.Several private parcels of land exist within the wilderness because their ownership predates the Wilderness Act of 1964, which set strict limits on public use of the lands, outlawing motors, development, roads, logging and other uses.Private lands within wilderness areas were allowed to remain private and continue the historic use of the property as part of the legislation.“The acquisition of this parcel protects the scenic setting as well as connects fragmented National Forest System land in a wilderness area,” said Payette Public Affairs Specialist Kelly Martin.Public ownership also allows firefighters to consider it as part of the wilderness and manage a fire on that land as they would with all areas with the designation.
New Meadows Crash
A New Meadows man was injured when his car overturned in an accident on Thursday, Nov.
Streakers unite
A group of about 50 women strode through McCall on Monday evening in day one of a challenge to exercise every day for 40 consecutive days as part of a fundraiser for women’s athletic scholarships.Participants in The Streak commit to completing at least 30 minutes of exercise each day for 40 straight days.
Stibnite air permit upheld
An appeal of the air quality permit issued last year for Perpetua Resources’ proposed Stibnite mine near Yellow Pine has been dismissed by an independent hearing officer.The appeal was filed by the Nez Perce Tribe, the Idaho Conservation League, and Save the South Fork Salmon amid worries that the permit under-estimated air pollution from the mine and did not include sufficient monitoring requirements.Dylan Lawrence of Varin Thomas, a Boise law firm, dismissed each of the 13 errors cited in the appeal and upheld the permit as written by the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality.Lawrence cited expert testimony, including from DEQ employees, and agency’s discretion in administering the air permit in his order to dismiss the appeal.Mckinsey Lyon, a spokesperson for Perpetua, said Lawrence’s ruling “confirms the accuracy and thoroughness of IDEQ’s process” and validates the company’s efforts to be “protective of people and the environment.”“We remain confident that the integrity and soundness of IDEQ’s permit speaks for itself,” Lyon said.Julie Thrower, an attorney representing Save the South Fork, said the groups will appeal Lawrence’s ruling to the DEQ board of directors.
Cascade Schools ranks first in science
Cascade Schools ranked first in Idaho for science proficiency among traditional school districts in recent statewide tests.Of students in Cascade Schools, about 61% scored proficient or advanced on the Idaho Standard Achievement Test, which is taken by students in fifth grade, eighth grade and high school.The McCall-Donnelly School District was second with about 59% of students scoring proficient or advanced.The highest scores in the state were found in specialized schools like the North Idaho STEM Charter Academy with 85% of students in the higher echelons.