WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 2017
Volume 42 | Number 28 | 3 Sections | 40 Pages s u n
Hailey paths project back under review
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Snowboarder dies after Baldy accident
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UURAP Fgetting OR SALE? appraisal of Starbucks building
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BCSD: Budget cuts might be needed Page 6
R A N K E D N O . 1 F O R L O C A L N E W S B Y T H E N AT I O N A L N E W S P A P E R A S S O C I AT I O N A N D I D A H O P R E S S C L U B
Rumors of ICE raids prompt fears No immigration roundups, checkpoints or indiscriminate searches could be verified B y M A D E LY N B E C K
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Express Staff Writer
umors about the presence of federal immigration officials have caused concern in the local Hispanic community, though the rumors could not be corroborated by the Idaho Mountain Express and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said they do not establish checkpoints or conduct indiscriminate searches. According to anonymous calls to the Idaho Mountain Express last week and this week, people reported either that someone was detained by immigration officials or that the officials called them or visited their doorstep. The only confirmed calls were made by members of the Boise-based American Civil Liberties Union of Idaho who had heard the rumors and checked with businesses to make sure people showed up to work or by local concerned citizens asking similar questions. The only confirmed visits were made by owners of apartment complexes checking on tenants fearful of the ICE rumors. The reports last week caught the attention of the Blaine County School District, which issued an announcement to parents via Skylert on Friday that said, “Good Morning. We have heard the rumor that ICE is in Blaine County conducting arrests. Law enforcement has confirmed that ICE is not in Blaine County. Thank you.” District spokeswoman Heather Crocker said it sent the message to make sure children felt “physically and emotionally safe” coming to school. Crocker said overall attendance Friday was 93 percent, near the average of 95 percent for that date. Sun Valley Assistant Police Chief Michael Crawford said last week that he heard no reports of ICE being in the valley. He said the agency usually contacts local law enforcement to inform them if it is in town, sometimes requesting help from local officers with a specific case. He said ICE is usually here to find specific people and has not done “blanket” raids. ICE regional spokeswoman Rose Richeson confirmed that, stating Friday that deportation officers conduct “targeted enforcement operations,” which involve established Fugitive Operations Teams. “ICE does not conduct sweeps, checkpoints or raids that target aliens indiscriminately,” she said. “Reports of ICE checkpoints and sweeps are false, dangerous and irresponsible. These reports create mass panic and put communities and law enforcement personnel in unnecessary danger. Any groups falsely reporting such activities are doing a disservice to those they claim to See ICE, Page 14
Express photo by Willy Cook
FAT CATS GO FOR THE GOLD Cyclist Chris Stuart, from Park City, Utah, rides on his way to winning the expert class at the third annual Snowball Special Fat Bike race, a cross-country event held at sun valley resort’s nordic trail system on saturday with about 30 competitors. the expert, or abominable, class did two 10.5-mile loops up and over part of the White cloud Golf course and along trail creek adjacent to trail creek road and back toward the nordic center. the big Foot, or sport, class also raced a 21-mile configuration, and the chilly, or beginning, class completed a single 10.5-lap. local racer bill mccann, who finished fourth in the abominable class, described the course conditions as firm and fast, the views of the Pioneer mountains and baldy as great, the weather as perfect and the event as well-organized. this event is part of a five-race series put on by Frosty’s Fat bike race series, which, according to mccann, attracted more out-of-towners than locals. “Fat bike racing is a good way to diversify winter recreational opportunities,” mccann said. race officials would like to add a downhill race on Dollar mountain next year.
P&Z paves the way for new theater Argyros Performing Arts Center avoids about $3 million in fees By PETER JENSEN Express Staff Writer
When Ketchum Planning Director Micah Austin and planning staff sat down to rewrite the city’s parking ordinance last spring, they agreed that new theaters should be exempt from the code. That was before Tim Mott and the nonprofit Sun Valley Performing Arts Center proposed tearing down the nexStage Theatre and building a new theater in its place on Main and First streets. But the tweak turned out to be fortuitous—under the existing ordinance, the new theater would have had to pay more than $3 million in fees to satisfy the city’s requirement. That would almost certainly scuttle the project. On Monday, the Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously to approve the exemption. The exemption, in the form of a text
amendment, now goes to the City Council for approval April 3. The amendment allows any existing theater use, or a proposed expansion, to be exempt from having to provide offstreet parking. As written, it applies to the nexStage property, the Magic Lantern movie theaters and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Sun Valley Road. If approved by the council, the new theater will be able to obtain its building permit shortly after. It will be called the Argyros Performing Arts Center, and Sun Valley Performing Arts Center wants to break ground on construction this spring. The nonprofit ownership group would pay $200,000 in housing fees, but is asking the city for permission to delay that payment until construction is finished. That change will require the City Council’s approval. The 25,000-square-foot building will contain two theater spaces, a café and
an outdoor plaza. The new theater is scheduled to open in fall 2018. The nonprofit has raised $4.5 million, including a $2 million donation from benefactors Julia and George Argyros, but still needs to raise another $3 million. But the theater had to navigate the city of Ketchum’s land-use approval process first, which brought it to the Planning and Zoning Commission on Monday. The city’s overhauled parking ordinance contains the exemption for the Argyros theater. However, the amended ordinance has been held up at the City Council, which has split in debate over how to change the portion of the code devoted to multifamily residential housing projects. The council has not approved the new parking ordinance, but Sun Valley Performing Arts Center carved out the small portion devoted to theaters See THEATER, Page 14