Why it is so important to respect and obey ROAD CLOSURE signs! Brad Little declared community spread in Idaho, and the South Central Public Health District confirmed 12 new cases in Blaine County, bringing Blaine County’s total to 17. That sentiment is so deeply entrenched, so common, that it is as familiar in Idaho as fry ... coming in were going to make Idaho more liberal,” Wallace said. Keep on reading for a detailed methodology. Though violations are punishable by fine or jail time, the Blaine County Sheriff’s Office, along with local police departments, said in a social media post that it will start by educating residents. The information is posted here by the agencies themselves. But Republicans have seen their number of … The county seat and largest city Idaho Falls is a city in and the county seat of Bonneville County Idaho United … Notice of Public Hearing - Abandonment of Idaho Highway 75 Spur in Blaine County . But every year, thousands of skiers, outdoors enthusiasts and wealthy part-time residents with homes in New York, Seattle and Los Angeles flood the valley. Blaine County Commission Chairman Jacob Greenberg said he manned the county’s COVID-19 information hotline all day Sunday and Monday and only received two “whistleblower” complaints about people not obeying the isolation order. “We have no idea about samples being sent to the private labs.”. Many of Blaine County’s earliest positive cases were tied to visitors. Because of the high cost of living in Blaine County, many resort and hospitality workers have hourlong commutes every day from Twin Falls, Jerome and even farther. Prudek, the local hospital spokeswoman, and Ketchum Mayor Neil Bradshaw also pointed to tourism as a major factor in the outbreak. Blaine County’s current numbers translate to 1,979 cases per 100,000 people — and that’s why the county’s infection rate exceeds even New York City’s. Member support is what makes local COVID-19 reporting possible. Update your Idaho voter registration. 206 1st Avenue South Hailey, Idaho 83333. Neighboring Canyon County, Idaho’s second-largest county by population, has 55 cases per 100,000 people. ‘Not going to be some magical solution’, Gov. Your continued support makes local journalism like this possible. “We have to treat everybody that has symptoms in the community as a presumed positive,” said McLaughlin, because of confirmed community spread in Blaine County. But strains extend beyond the hospital. Election Day results brought great success for the Republican Party in Idaho and across the United States, while Blaine County’s liberal base bucked those trends. High-paying jobs are scarce. Earlier in the week, Russell told the Statesman that Blaine County’s situation could be a sobering but instructive lesson for the entire state, including the Treasure Valley. “We are watching closely how the Blaine County situation unfolds to learn lessons from them and apply it here,” McCall city manager Anette Spickard said in an email. Another 25-bed critical access hospital, the St. Luke's in McCall would also send patients to larger facilities for more intensive care, if there’re beds available, Irvine said. Nearly half of Idaho’s 148 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus, are in Blaine County. If you live anywhere but Sun Valley or Boise, you will most likely feel quite uncomfortable w your Conservative surroundings. Does anyone know of any websites about the nature of liberalism existing in certain places in the United States, example, why is San Francisco so ultra ultra solidly liberal? “The upper end of the county has been very, very liberal, and this side has been very conservative. Patients seeking care for routine check-ups, cancer screenings or caesarean sections are also being directed to other hospitals. They cited similar concerns about overwhelmed health care infrastructure. The cities with the highest percentage of voters who voted Democrat and gave the most to liberals where named the most liberal cities in the state. Healthcare workers there have already taken a hit from the coronavirus. Sections of this page. See more of Blaine County, Idaho on Facebook. “We don’t want panic but we also don’t want people to be blasé about this,” he said. or. “People come here from all over the world,” Russell said. Blaine County is located in Idaho with a population of 21,994. Most of the rural ski resort counties (Blaine County, Idaho; Teton County, Wyoming; Summit County, Utah) could apply to the OP as well? Neighboring Canyon County, Idaho’s second-largest county by population, has 55 cases per 100,000 people. AD. and Treasure Lane, north of Hailey, Idaho. Beginning Monday, Jan. 11, online readers of the Idaho Mountain Express will be asked to subscribe to its award-winning news coverage after reading five free stories each month. This site is an effort by county, state, tribal, and federal agencies to coordinate and aggregate information for Idaho communities affected by wildfire smoke. On Sunday, officials in other Idaho health districts urged anyone who traveled to Blaine County in the last two weeks to shelter in place, as well. When I’m in the ER, I get people from New York, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Seattle. Clear 1 Table. Blaine County, home to skiing, live music, conferences and other ever-popular events in Sun Valley, Hailey and Ketchum, flipped its usual welcoming script in the last week over concerns about the spread of coronavirus. Two of the first three people to die due to coronavirus in Idaho were Blaine County residents. They will be verifying interior information and tracking any changes to the outside of the property. “Are we concerned about not having enough resources? QuickFacts provides statistics for all states and counties, and for cities and towns with a population of 5,000 or more. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. “Even though skiing would seem like a low-risk activity since it’s outside, it’s probably an incredibly high-risk activity,” Russell said. “What happened here in the valley is the same thing that happened elsewhere,” said Brent Russell, an emergency room physician in Ketchum. The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare doesn’t have data on how many tests are being performed in each county, spokeswoman Niki Forbing-Orr said. Nearly half of Idaho’s 188 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus, are in Blaine County. In response, Little issued an “extreme emergency declaration” and an order for all Idahoans not filling essential jobs to stay mostly at home if at all possible, making Idaho the 20th state to issue such an order. DemocracyByZipCode aims to keep government accountable to consumers and workers in Idaho and Blaine County, and all across the USA. Nearly half of Idaho’s 188 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus, are in Blaine County. Blaine County, ID is Somewhat liberal Hailey Metro Area is Somewhat liberal. In Blaine County, ID 59.8% of the people voted Democrat in the last presidential election, 31.1% voted for the Republican Party, and the remaining 9.0% voted Independent.. Blaine county voted Democratic in the previous five Presidential elections. Law enforcement agencies in the county say violations of the order could lead to misdemeanor charges. Two of the first three people to die due to coronavirus in Idaho were Blaine County … Same as Blaine county in Idaho with Sun Valley. She’s friendly, willing to listen and values people who donate their time and talents. “Skiers sit next to each other on chairlifts, sitting shoulder to shoulder, and then you turn and talk to the person and you’re on a chairlift for 15 minutes. Dr. Brent Russell, an emergency physician at St. Luke’s Wood River who has COVID-19, said things would likely look different if the hospital wasn’t part of a larger network. ... We encourage posting of your comments and concerns on this blog so we can better serve you. Contact your elected officials at the State, County and City level. Blaine County, Idaho, has reported the highest infection rate of coronavirus in the country. The Political Climate in Sun Valley, ID is Leaning liberal. Two of Idaho’s first three deaths, reported Thursday, were also Blaine County residents. The county Blaine County is a county in the U.S. state of Idaho As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 21, 376. In order to do so, we turned our sites on measuring how each city in Washington with populations greater than 5,000 voted and contributed to political campaigns in the past several years. In Blaine County, Idaho, the share of the population testing positive for the coronavirus is greater than in New York City. Idaho is very conservative, right behind Utah and Wyoming. Idaho health officials are issuing an isolation order for Blaine County – the state’s first mandatory lockdown in an area that has reported the most confirmed cases of COVID-19 so far. Moscow is a city in northern Idaho along the state border with Washington, with a population of 23,800 at the 2010 census. “I could see us getting overwhelmed the way that Wood River has gotten overwhelmed by cases and very, very sick people,” said Dr. Gregory Irvine, an orthopedic surgeon and the Chief of Staff at the St. Luke’s hospital in McCall, a mountain town north of Boise. At least 14 have tested positive, including two of the hospital’s eight emergency room physicians. “We’re further behind on the curve right now than Ketchum is, and that’s a good thing,” said Teton Valley Health CEO Keith Gnagey. BOISE — Gov. “This is a ghost town, and that’s how it should be,” Bradshaw said. According to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, a Blaine County man over 60 years old and a Twin Falls woman over 80 years old have … By contrast, Ada County’s numbers translate to 107 cases per 100,000 people. 15 talking about this. As of the 2010 census, the population was 16, 267. Sign Up. Contact your elected officials at the State, County and City level. (One part-time Valley County resident was diagnosed with the illness Sunday, but officials said he had previously been in Blaine County and had not returned to Valley County while infectious.). According to a Facebook post in a Brotherhood group, club officials said in a March 18 email that dozens who attended the Feb. 29-March 7 summit were ill, with five of those illnesses confirmed to be coronavirus. On Wednesday, December 16, 2020, at approximately 12:14 a.m., Blaine County Sheriff Deputies initiated a traffic stop for excessive speed on U.S.Highway 75 between Deer Creek Rd. “… Nobody really has the hospital capacity in any town to handle this kind of virus, but certainly not if you’re having tourists (getting sick).”, Other small communities in Idaho are already replicating Bradshaw’s plea for visitors to stay away, though some of them have not yet seen their own COVID-19 diagnoses. For the same reason Blaine County is the only one in Idaho that consistently votes Democratic. Brad Little Issues Isolation Order For Blaine County Amid COVID-19 Spread, Ketchum Mayor On COVID-19 Isolation Order: 'The Streets Are Deathly Quiet', Sun Valley Is Under An Isolation Order, But Planes Are Still Landing, A Community Service of Boise State University. Ski areas in California, Colorado and Utah have also seen high numbers of confirmed COVID-19. Press alt + / to open this menu. Idaho Gov. Blaine County officials also tightened the isolation order, ending most construction projects, closing hotels to tourists and banning Blaine County residents from leaving the area. Working together, we … And that’s why we’re trying to conserve what we have right now, particularly our manpower,” said Batcha, who, these days, is typically clad head to toe in personal protective gear as he screens patients for COVID-19 in the parking lot of the Ketchum hospital. The Magic Valley is a region in south-central Idaho constituting Blaine, Camas, Cassia, Gooding, Jerome, Lincoln, Minidoka, and Twin Falls counties. The BestPlaces Liberal/Conservative Index is based on recent voting in national elections, federal campaign contributions by local residents, and consumer personality profiles. On the paternal side is of German lineage, and on the maternal of Scotch descent. We shall see what happens. “That's the nightmare scenario that we're continuing to try to avoid.”. Only two cities in Idaho have larger populations of liberal voters than conservative voters — Ketchum and Lapwai. We also have a gondola where people sit three to a row facing each other. And you might want to avoid Lewis County if you can -- at least according to the data. The hospital has two intensive care units and one ventilator in the emergency department, but taking care of very sick patients requires a lot of time and attention by specialists. For the same reason Blaine County is the only one in Idaho that consistently votes Democratic. “Why are we on the front line? California is the seventh-most liberal state in the United States. Summit County is 1/15th the size of SLC. She graduated from Biola University and previously worked for the Idaho Press and the Orange County Register. Blaine County, Idaho, which includes the resort town of Sun Valley, has one of the highest known rates of COVID-19 cases in the West. Absolutely. Finding bed space might soon be a challenge for rural health systems. South Central District Health told the Idaho Mountain Express on Monday that 14 confirmed cases were health care workers. Other rural communities in Idaho are watching Blaine County, and are planning for a similar situation. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in this Wikipedia article constitutes fair use. Best Places to Live in Idaho A look at the top 10 most livable cities in the Gem State. “The experts tell us that the timing of decisions are extremely important,” Little said during the order’s announcement. If somebody walks past your table and just exhales — they don’t even have to cough — there’s virus coming out,” Russell said. Log In. Create New Account. There’s currently one confirmed coronavirus case in Valley County, where McCall is located, according to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. Many families live in Blaine County and residents tend to be liberal. Residents are not supposed to leave their homes except to do "essential activities" like going grocery shopping, or to the bank or laundromat. “Everyone eats together in a fairly crowded lodge for lunch, and most (visitors) go out to eat every night. “Under normal circumstances, (strangers) don’t get that close to each other.”. But that change of heart may have come too late. Update your Idaho voter registration. I'm still not quite sure what makes these two rural counties along the Nevada border so liberal. By Thursday afternoon, Blaine County had reported 312 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus infection. File:Blaine County, Idaho seal.png is being used on this article. We realized the virus was here, and in a big way, too late. ... a liberal think tank. 36% of voters in California identify as moderate. But, why is blaine county in Idaho only one blue/democrat in between, 2000 and 2004 elections? Kevin Litwin. Coronavirus screening sites, a walk-in-clinic and the emergency department remain open. "An influx of people from elsewhere risks overwhelming the limited resources at our hospitals" - Dr. Gregory Irvine, "If we don't flatten the curve, we're going to be in that situation where somebody's going to have COVID in Driggs, and Boise is going to say, 'We're not taking them,' and everybody else is going to say, 'We're not taking them,'"- John McCarthy, UW School of Medicine, Friedman Memorial Airport/screenshot by Boise State Public Radio, told Boise State Public Radio’s George Prentice, Idaho Gov. His father, J. Ketchum Mayor Neil Bradshaw says his resort community “is very much like a ghost town right now.”. By . 8 talking about this. He's been very sick, so can't work at this critical time. More are out of work self-isolating because they have symptoms or have potentially been exposed, according to the South Central Public Health District. He had some fatigue and a stomachache. Those people are so great—the whole Midwest,” he said, missing Idaho on the map by a thousand miles or so. Officials in McCall, Cascade and Crouch each issued statements this weekend asking travelers to give them a wide berth. When the ballots ran out, they voted on stationary lent by the local newspaper. Together we recruit, elect, and support public officials who share our core democratic values. Coronavirus cases topped 140 and state health officials identified cases of community transmission in the Treasure Valley and North Idaho. Blaine County Courthouse. Teton County is the county to be when it comes to living the good life in Idaho. It’s the only hospital in Blaine County. Little announced a deluge of 10 new COVID-19 cases in Blaine County and instituted the isolation — or shelter in place — order for the county. Bill McLaughlin, the Ketchum Fire Chief who also oversees EMS services for the north half of the valley, said around a quarter of his paramedics are out because they have coronavirus symptoms or have potentially been exposed in the community. St. Luke's Wood River Medical Center suspended normal operations last week. “Every state is in a different stage. Already coronavirus has hit the small mountain community harder than anywhere else in Idaho. Read about great schools like: Community School, Pioneer Montessori School and The Mountain School. Idaho’s first case of coronavirus was diagnosed in Ada County on March 13. According to South Central Public Health District Director Melody Bowyer, the patient was a woman in her 50s and only had mild symptoms. That’s despite how connected Blaine County is to the rest of the Magic Valley. This will be her third term on the executive board. On Monday, local law enforcement announced its plan to enforce the shelter-in-place directive. “Businesses are going to suffer, and so is the revenue stream to the city,” he said. By contrast, Ada County’s numbers translate to 107 cases per 100,000 people. “The majority of people are observing and strongly adhering to it,” he said. So if you're thinking of making the move Idaho, we've got you covered. Blaine County is the successor to the former county of Alturas, which was organized by the Idaho Territorial Legislature in February 1864. “So currently any patient who would be that sick would not be maintained up here. Investigative reporter Nicole Foy covers Latinos, agriculture and government accountability issues. Members of the public are invited to participate in a public hearing regarding the proposed action to abandon the Idaho Highway 75 Spur to Blaine County. Email or Phone: Password: Forgot account? 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