February 2024

A snowmobiler fell through the ice on Lake Cascade Monday when they inadvertently drove into a large hole suspected to be cut for a “polar plunge.”The Valley County Sheriff’s Office warned that anyone planning to cut a large hole in the ice for swimming in icy water, or any other reason, should mark the hazard before leaving.A large hole in the ice might seem obvious, but it freezes, receives some snow and becomes a hazard if not marked, officials warned.The name and condition of the snowmobilers was not able to be confirmed, but the sheriff’s office said that there were no fatalities in the incident at the Sugarloaf Campground boat ramp on the east side of Lake Cascade.

Five local schools have a “HOPE Squad” of student volunteers that are part of a peer-to-peer mentor program aimed at improving mental health.Their volunteer efforts come to fruition next week when each school will hold “HOPE Week” activities.Festivities include a Mardi Gras bead exchange, taco Tuesday, cookie decorating, and a “shred the stress” activity where students write down what causes them stress and put that paper through a shredder.Activities vary by school and are open to enrolled students only.

A $393,000 contract to design repairs to a large storage pond for McCall’s treated sewage was awarded last month by the Payette Lakes Recreational Water and Sewer District.The storage pond, which is just south of Deinhard Lane near the North Fork Payette River, is estimated to leak as much as 25 million gallons of treated wastewater into the river each year, according to a 2017 report.The leaks are collected by an underground system of drains that also collect natural groundwater under the pond and pours out a pipe into the river a few hundred feet away.Current plans call for the single layer plastic liner in the 268-million-gallon pond to be replaced with a double liner system.Any groundwater or treated wastewater that leaks through the new liner would be captured by pumps and returned into the storage pond, according to plans.The pumps would enable the district to monitor leaks in real-time, adding certainty to the understanding of any future leaks.The project is expected to cost up to $6 million, much of which would be funded by a bond issue the sewer district is preparing to seek from voters later this year.

United Payette will seek a lease with the Idaho Department of Lands to protect recreation on Shellworth Island.“Shellworth Island was selected as it is key to water quality, viewshed, recreation, and the likelihood that IDL will disposition it in the near-term,” said United Payette Steering Committee member Jeff Mousseau.The island is a popular destination for summer visitors picnicking and camping, Mousseau told commissioners on Monday.Leasing the property would retain that use, with the goal of preventing its sale or development as a private residence, venue or commercial campsite, Mousseau said.The roughly 13-acre island owned by the lands department on the east side of Payette Lake was designated as an area of critical concern by Valley County Commissioners in August 2023.

The North Fork Payette River Watershed Coalition will hold its first workshop on Thursday, Feb.