News

Tamarack to build Lake Cascade marina

Construction of a marina on Lake Cascade with up to 200 slips could begin as soon as this spring, Tamarack Resort announced this week.Work can begin as soon as the Bureau of Reclamation completes its environmental analysis, which is expected in early 2024, said Tamarack Resort President Scott Turlington.The resort hopes to open the marina by Memorial Day with about 70 initial boat slips, on-water fuel, a rental and retail facility, enhanced beachfront access, food and drink offerings, additional parking, and a dedicated sand sports area.The marina will be open from 7 a.m.

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Brundage recognized as ‘Whitebark Pine friendly’

Brundage Mountain Resort has been recognized as the first ski resort in Idaho to be certified as a Whitebark Pine Friendly Ski Area through the Whitebark Pine Ecosystem Foundation.The foundation launched the certification program in 2016 to raise awareness of the whitebark pine species and boost conservation efforts at ski resorts across the west.At Brundage, whitebark pines both dead and alive dot the resort’s ridgeline, with hundreds of new seedlings planted in 2022 to maintain the tree’s population into the future.“Brundage Mountain has been supporting whitebark pine recovery initiatives for more than 15 years, and we’re incredibly proud to be the first certified resort in our area,” General Manager Ken Rider said.Rider labeled the whitebark pine, which was federally listed as a threatened species in 2022, as an “iconic feature” of Brundage.“We hope to raise awareness of the threats it faces and the cooperative efforts to help it survive,” Rider said.The whitebark pine is a slow-growing tree that can live more than 1,000 years.

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Valley County tax bills sent

Property tax bills went out last week with tax credits lowering most tax bills for Valley County residents.In general, taxes did not go down, but the new tax credits that were applied mean homeowners will pay about 25% less, said Valley County Treasurer Johanna Defoort.That is higher than the statewide average of 18% for homeowners and 14% for all property owners, including commercial property, according to the Governor’s Office.Taxes to be collected this year totaled about $38.5 million, up from about $37.2 million last year.

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Thanksgiving theft thwarted

The owners of a home in the Gold Dust subdivision south of Cascade called 911 on Thanksgiving after their doorbell camera captured video of a suspicious person at their home, according to the Valley County Sheriff’s Office.Deputies responded to find Casey Green, 48 of Twin Falls at a nearby residence.

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Swindled

Susan Frye recently paid about $20,000 to remodel a cabin on her Donnelly property, but the contractor never came close to finishing the work she hired him to complete.Frye, 61, is one of many locals that paid thousands of dollars for construction work, only to see that money vanish into the pockets of contractors who left behind substandard work or none at all.“We have a lot of people in this county who hire contractors to do work for them and the contractor takes a big down payment and then either bails or does a terrible job and then walks away,” said Valley County Prosecuting Attorney Brian Naugle.“There are a lot of people doing construction and contractor work out there that are ripping people off,” Naugle said.Frye said she had hired four or five contractors to complete her project, but most never showed up and others did such poor-quality work that she had to have it redone.“It’s really sad because I know so many people that are having the same problem up here,” Frye said.Robin Gorczyca, 67, hired a contractor in 2022 to remodel her condo in McCall for about $130,000.

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