March 2024

Payette Lake boaters would pay daily or annual fees to use a city-owned boat ramp near Legacy Park, under a proposal supported last week by the McCall City Council.The ramp fees would be collected by the city and used to maintain and manage the boat ramp next to Mile High Marina, McCall Parks and Recreation Director Kurt Wolf said.The fees, which still need to be developed by city staff, could also be used to fund invasive species prevention efforts, Wolf said.“That transient boat population that’s in and out of Payette Lake coming from other bodies (of water) is really concerning to us,” Wolf said.

A bill that would force many homes in Valley County to operate as short-term rentals was introduced in the Idaho Legislature earlier this week.The bill, known as House Bill 401, would require many homeowners with vacant bedrooms to list the bedrooms for rent on the short-term rental marketplace.The bill would apply to all homes in resort towns that collect local-option taxes, including the cities of Cascade, Donnelly, and McCall.The bill’s sponsor, Raven Jester, I-Boise, said the bill would help stimulate resort economies while also promoting affordable housing by opening new revenue streams for homeowners that could ease the burden of mortgage payments.“If we are serious about affordable housing, it’s time to start being serious about outside-the-box solutions,” Jester said during a public hearing on Monday at the State Capitol Building in Boise.The House Business Committee voted unanimously to advance the bill to the floor of the Idaho House of Representatives with a “do pass” recommendation.House Bill 401 is scheduled for a vote on the House floor on Monday.

The Idaho Department of Lands is seeking commercial lease applications for 12.5 acres fronting Deinhard Lane in McCall, the agency announced this week.The land is part of a 20-acre endowment land parcel at the corner of Deinhard Lane and Spring Mountain Boulevard, or near Payette Lakes Middle School.Only 12.5 acres are being offered for lease because the parcel also contains an IDL office building and a ground lease for a cell phone tower, said Sharla Arledge, an IDL spokesperson.The land is being offered for lease for up to 49 years.

Last week’s article titled “M-D to seek levy, $14M bond for housing” incorrectly stated the cost of the district’s proposed supplemental levy at $0.55 per $100 in taxable property value per month.

We know you were not fooled by The Star-News April Fool’s story on the front page, but just in case you were duped, don’t feel bad.The Star-News has been jolting local residents from their spring doldrums each year since 1984.Here is a review of past April Fool’s stories, which often reflected current events and popular culture at the time when they appeared.• 1984: McCall City Hall sinks into the ground after its foundations are undermined by gophers.• 1985: Boise Cascade Corp.