I Speak of Dreams

Fire Images

The Castle Rock  fire is still going, but edging toward control.  Looks like the ski mountain won't be affected.

Mountain web cams and fire video.

Yikes Mandatory Evacuations in Idaho

The Wood River Valley is in trouble, all right.

The 25,960 acre Castle Rock fire is now 38 percent contained. Resources fighting this fire include 1,401 firefighters, 10 helicopters, 3 bulldozers, 41 hand crews and 100 engines.

The Castle Rock Fire:

Due to the heavy wind conditions and high possibilities for spot fires later this evening, County officials, in conjunction with the Forest Service, are issuing a mandatory evacuation order for all residents north of Ohio Gulch to the bridge at St. Lukes Hospital - both east and west sides of Highway 75. This is a mandatory evacuation because this is the prudent thing to do under current weather conditions. Residents will see fire apparatus in their neighborhoods to provide structure protection.

Here's the current perimeter map.  My house is just north of the circled 75 on the map, and isn't currently in danger.   However, the mandatory evacuation areas include low-income housing.  I'm sending money.

You can see all the wildland fires at GeoMAC

The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly from Dave Chase at SunValley Online

A Police Chief's Musings

Brian McNary is the Chief of Police in Hailey, Idaho, who is taking up blogging.

One of the problems we deal with in the police department is broken families and runaway kids. Twice already this week. These are common people with problems searching for answers. Now I am always trying to find ways to help these folks. To be honest, the problems are so deep rooted, that often it takes hours of history to unmask the problem and devise some sort of action plan. In one instance this week, a business owner in our office offered a runaway kid a job after listening to one of those “front-of-the-desk” brainstorming sessions. That was very impressive. Some frustrated folks left a little happier than they had been when they first arrived.

I knew a lot of the people that attended Dr. Covey’s lecture. Many of them are successful, community leaders. They have raised good children and apparently have some sort of skill set that works. But I can’t help thinking that we missed our target audience. The people I deal with, those folks at the front desk. Perhaps the next time someone like Dr. Covey comes to town, we ought to take a day or two and ask those folks that could use a little help if they would like to attend.

Like a Curse

The story of Sarah Johnson struck me as Greek tragedy:   the unexpected outcome of what might have seemed reasonable actions.

There's been another chapter.  It is like a curse.

August 29, 2005: I was wrong.  The event I was referring to had no direct connection with Sarah Johnson.

Blaine County Summary

Summary or index of posts to June 1, 2005

911 and cell phones

Most places,  dialling 911 from your cell phone is a mistake.  If you have a regular route, why don't you investigate the direct-dial to dispatcher for your regular locales, and program them into your cell phone?

Changing A Culture

There's a tacit agreement in Blaine County  between kids, parents, and cops:  we'll just sort of look the other way about underage drinking.   The package stores contribute to the problem.

Right now it could be seen as an invisible sign at the entrance to our Valley that says: Underage drinking is OK here – just don’t get caught and “soft drug” use will be winked at.

Zero Tolerance Consequences

One consequence: what to do with expelled high school kids? Blaine County, Idaho,  has one idea.

E-911 in Blaine County

In 2003  there was some infighting... over getting e911 established.  A problem (perhaps unique to Blaine County)  is that development has happened faster than emergency responders can keep track of.

More on Dalai Lama in Sun Valley

Hmmn.  Beginning to sound more complicated.  Good thing I have a bike.  Website on His Holiness's visit to Blaine County.