Drew Dodson - Valley Lookout Editor
Drew Dodson is editor and reporter for Valley Lookout. Drew lives in Donnelly and has covered the City of McCall, Perpetua Resources, regional growth, and other local beats since 2018. Drew’s hobbies include backcountry skiing, picking huckleberries, home improvement, beer league hockey, and all things Ernest Hemingway. You can reach him at [email protected]
Valley Lookout's original journalism is supported by readers like you.
182 Stories from this reporter
County
‘Continuity is important’: Valley County promotes deputy prosecutor to lead role
Valley County will have a new prosecutor starting next month.
On Wednesday, the Board of County Commissioners approved promoting current Chief Deputy Prosecutor Brian Oakey...
County
Valley County to extend Samson Trail Pathway this fall
A gravel pathway along South Samson Trail will soon be extended about a mile further south.
On Wednesday, Valley County Commissioners awarded a $374,900 contract...
County
Last call for public comments: Valley County to hold McCall Impact Area hearing
One last round of public comment on the new McCall Impact Area boundaries will be accepted by Valley County during a public hearing Wednesday...
Donnelly
Bald eagles, wild elk, and traffic: Neighbors list concerns while appealing large subdivision near Donnelly
An approval of the first phase of a 374-acre subdivision near Donnelly is being reconsidered by the Valley County Commissioners.
On Wednesday the board heard...
Environment
Rock Fire update: Evacuation orders eased amid heavy rain, increased containment
More than a quarter of the 900 firefighters once working the Rock Fire near Tamarack Resort have been reassigned to other wildfires as containment...
County
‘Our community has spoken’: Public fieldhouse proposal set for November ballot
Voters in the areas of McCall and Donnelly will be asked to approve the creation of a new taxing district this fall to fund...
Environment
‘We couldn’t get answers’: State agrees to develop Payette Lake milfoil plan alongside local agencies
A combination of herbicides, diver-led removal, and other tools will likely be needed to regain control of an invasive weed infestation in Payette Lake.
That...
Healthcare
Hospital district OKs $1.4M for St. Luke’s McCall housing, narrows eligible tenants
Nearly all property taxes collected by the McCall Memorial Hospital District in 2026 will be spent on an employee housing project for St. Luke’s...
Donnelly
Rock Fire Update: Firefighters brace for ‘tell-tale’ weekend as hot, dry conditions to test containment lines
Extensive defense lines built around a wildfire burning near Tamarack Resort will be put to the test this weekend by hot and dry conditions,...
County
Australian mining company begins drilling near Yellow Pine, planning further exploration
A one-year exploratory drilling operation on mining claims within a mile of Yellow Pine is underway as of this week.
Resolution Minerals of Adelaide, Australia,...
County
‘It’s a very crowded section of river’: Valley County eyes new boating restrictions amid increased use
A formal proposal for updated boating rules in Valley County is expected this fall, the Valley County Waterways Advisory Committee was told earlier this...
Cascade
Health advisory issued for Lake Cascade near popular boat ramp
Toxic levels of cyanobacteria were observed on Lake Cascade last weekend, according to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.
The state agency issued a...
Growth
Mixed-used boathouse concept proposed in downtown McCall
Plans for a new three-story building in downtown McCall were aired this month to the McCall Area Planning and Zoning Commission.
A proposal by McCall...
Environment
Rock Fire sees minimal growth over weekend, but fire weather expected
Firefighters enjoyed favorable weather most of the weekend on the Rock Fire, but a drying trend this week is expected to ramp up fire...
Donnelly
McCall-Donnelly to stick with five-day school week
Schools in the McCall area will remain on a five-day schedule for at least another five years, McCall-Donnelly School District trustees decided Monday.
The...
Growth
McCall P&Z hears updated Pine Creek Ranch concept
A subdivision that could build hundreds of homes in southeast McCall would be built out over 20 years, the McCall Area Planning and Zoning...
Environment
‘We’re hitting it as hard as we can’: Multiple wildfires ignite near Tamarack Resort
White flakes gently fluttered through the air on Wednesday afternoon at Tamarack Resort as a chorus of engines buzzed out of sight up the...
Environment
‘Immediate response was important’: Boat capsized on Payette Lake, prompts ‘precautionary’ water testing
An overturned wake boat became stuck near Legacy Park last weekend after a botched towing operation caused it to capsize in Payette Lake.
The 22-foot...
County
‘What do we do?’: Valley County floats Payette Lake milfoil options, wants five-year plan
New technology could be used to help regain control of an infestation of invasive weeds in Payette Lake, Valley County Commissioners suggested last week.
Sherry...
Healthcare
Attorney general investigating taxpayer subsidies to St. Luke’s McCall
An investigation into the legality of taxpayer subsidies awarded to St. Luke’s McCall by the McCall Memorial Hospital District is underway, according to the...
McCall
ITD seeking public comments on McCall bypass plans
Preliminary details surrounding potentially re-routing Idaho 55 traffic around downtown McCall will be aired on Wednesday at an open house in McCall.
The open house...
County
Valley County to review waterways rules amid request for increased motorized access
Allowing the expanded use of mini-jet boats on the North Fork Payette River is among the topics to be considered as Valley County begins...
Growth
New Meadows eyes impact area expansion
Recent development in the City of New Meadows is prompting city officials to consider expanding the boundaries of its growth zone.
On Monday, New Meadows...
Cascade
Cascade Medical Center, St. Luke’s McCall bringing urology care to Valley County
Urology healthcare will soon be available locally to patients in Valley County.
Cascade Medical Center recently announced a partnership with urology specialists in the Treasure Valley...
Legal
‘We’re not able to do our job’: Adams County Sheriff floats ‘Stop and Identify’ law
It could soon be a crime to not identify yourself when questioned by police officers in Adams County.
On Monday, the Board of County Commissioners...
County
Conservation groups sue state over Stibnite air permit, citing ‘dangerous’ pollution levels
An air quality permit issued for a gold and antimony mine in eastern Valley County could allow toxic levels of pollutants linked to cancer,...
County
Valley Co. charts timeline for new McCall Impact Area as city’s proposal rejected
New boundaries for the McCall Impact Area are still to be determined, but they will not follow boundaries proposed by the City of McCall.
On...
Environment
Chemicals or bust: State punts on Payette Lake milfoil amid public opposition to herbicide
Chemicals will not be used in Payette Lake this summer to combat an infestation of Eurasian watermilfoil, the Idaho State Department of Agriculture decided...
