Drew Dodson here with this week’s edition of the Valley Lookout newsletter. Anyone who has been to Yellow Pine knows how special it is. The rugged terrain. The confluence of the East Fork and Johnson Creek. Local hospitality. To-die-for brisket sandwiches at The Corner Bar. And, of course, the one and only Yellow Pine Harmonica Festival.

This weekend marks the return of the festival, and with it, the thousands who come from all over the state to enjoy the likes of Harmonica John, Half Fast Hillbillies, and Muddy Boots & The Porch Pounders. If it sounds like a joke, it’s not—the music is as good as the characters are authentic.

The festival has been hosted by the Village of Yellow Pine on the first weekend of August since 1990. It was born from then-Gov. Cecil Andrus’ challenge for towns across the state to throw celebrations to honor the 100th anniversary of statehood. The Harmonica, Yellow Pine reasoned, was the perfect symbol to pay homage to statehood since it was often carried by miners seeking out backwoods fortunes.

The festival is, for my money, a quintessential part of the Idaho experience. Even as it has become more popular, the festival has managed to hold onto the unique spirit that makes it one of a kind. I’m not saying you should go, but I don’t know of anywhere else in Valley County—or Idaho, for that matter—where you can hear world-class harmonica players and then drink a beer with them afterward.

First up

Pine Creek Ranch submits preliminary plan for city review

An updated preliminary plan for hundreds of homes in southeastern McCall will be aired next week to the McCall Area Planning and Zoning Commission.

Donnelly developer Craig Groves is set to present updated plans for Pine Creek Ranch to the P&Z on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. during a pre-application hearing.

Conceptual plans call for more than 600 homes that would be built out in phases on two parcels totaling 158 acres near Payette Lakes Middle School.

Next week’s P&Z appearance follows a neighborhood meeting Groves is holding on Thursday at 6 p.m. in the basement of Idaho First Bank in McCall. Both meetings are required by city law before a formal application can be submitted.

The proposal will require up to seven different applications involving the annexation of county land into the city, re-zoning land for higher residential density, site design, phasing, and infrastructure improvements necessary to serve the subdivision. 

In December, Groves completed an environmental review of the project that was triggered by the city’s 2021 designation of the project zone as an “area of critical concern,” as Valley Lookout reported.  A city staff report on the environmental study was released in February.

The environmental review drew 115 public comments, 80% of which cited concerns related to traffic and transportation infrastructure. 

As currently planned, access to Pine Creek Ranch would be through existing neighborhood roads, including Woodlands Drive, Fox Ridge Lane, Stockton Drive, and Sheila Lane.

(Photo: The 158 acres on which Pine Creek Ranch is proposed. Courtesy/Valley County GIS)

Valley County nets $1 million in 2025 PILT funding

Valley County will net just over $1 million in federal funding tied to more than 2 million acres of federal land in the county.

The payment is part of a $645 million nationwide disbursement announced in a U.S. Department of the Interior press release, including $49.2 million to the state of Idaho.

The funding, known as “Payments in lieu of taxes,” is meant to compensate counties for federal land on which no property taxes are collected. The payments have been a staple for rural governments since 1977 and are calculated based on the number of acres of federal land in the county and the population, according to the Department of the Interior.

“We rely on PILT to balance the budget,” said Sherry Maupin, who chairs the Valley County Commission. “Without PILT we would need to trim back county positions and all of the community services we support as a county.”

Valley County Clerk Doug Miller said he routinely budgets $400,000 in PILT Funding for the General Fund, which reduces the property tax burden to be covered by property owners across the county.

The funding has historically been spent on many different things. In recent years, $2 million was allocated to local fire districts to help close an EMS funding gap. The funds have also paid for employee housing projects, improvements at the Valley County Jail, new technology for county employees, patrol cars, and other projects and purchases.

“As the funds are never guaranteed, we try and do one-off projects,” Maupin said. “But with the rapid growth in Valley County and the cost of living, we have found it imperative to hire additional staff members and increase our minimum wage with these funds.”

Statewide, Elmore County received the largest stipend at $3.4 million for about 1.4 million acres of federal land. Adams County received about $615,000 for 551,000 acres of federal land.

Valley County contains the fifth-largest amount of federal land of all 44 counties in the state. Only Custer, Idaho, Lemhi, and Owyhee counties contain more federal land, with Idaho County’s 4.5 million acres the high-water mark for the state.

Civic Lookout

• Pine Creek Ranch Neighborhood Meeting: Thursday at 6 p.m. in the basement of Idaho First Bank. More information available here.
• McCall Area Planning and Zoning Commission: Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. Agenda available here.
• Valley County Waterways Advisory Committee: Tuesday at 9 a.m. in the Valley County Emergency Operations Center in Cascade. Agenda to be posted here and is expected to include consideration of a proposal to allow mini-jet boats on the North Fork Payette River.
• Valley County Commissioners: Next Wednesday starting at 9 a.m. Agenda to be posted here.

Valley Lookout Original Reporting

Chemicals or bust: State punts on Payette Lake milfoil amid public opposition to herbicide

State officials announced they will heed public opposition and not proceed with a planned herbicide treatment of an invasive plant in Payette Lake, but not without consequences. Read the full story on Valley Lookout.

ITD plans to tear down historic Rainbow bridge

An iconic Idaho 55 bridge over the North Fork Payette River could be too expensive to keep in place once a replacement bridge is completed in 2029, according to the Idaho Transportation Department. Read the full story on Valley Lookout.

‘We’re not able to do our job’: Adams County Sheriff floats ‘Stop and Identify’ law

A new law in Adams County could make it easier for police to prosecute domestic violence cases, but the county commissioners worry it would come at the cost of government overreach. Read the full story on Valley Lookout.

Conservation groups sue state over Stibnite air permit, citing ‘dangerous’ pollution levels

A second lawsuit related to permits issued for Perpetua Resources’ Stibnite mine in eastern Valley County questions methods used by a state agency to approve an air quality permit. Read the full story on Valley Lookout.

Mountain Happenings

McCall

• Movie by the Lake: “Hook” to be shown at Legacy Park on Friday night at Dusk.
• Wooden Boat Show: Friday through Sunday on Payette Lake near Art Roberts Park.
• Farmer’s Market: On Second Street each Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Gallery 55 Reception: Saturday from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Gallery 55, with live music by the Cowbelles.
• National Night Out: McCall Police Department to host yard games and serve free hot dogs at Legacy Park starting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday night. Celebration to be capped by showing “Mufasa” by Payette Lake.

Donnelly

• Donnelly Farmer’s Market: Every Wednesday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. in Donnelly City Park.
• Wednesday Night Concert Series: Merchants of Groove to perform at Roseberry at 6:30 p.m.
• Idaho Impressions: New photography and art studio to celebrate grand opening at Tamarack Resort Friday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Art & Wine Festival: Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. at Tamarack Resort. More information available here.

Cascade

• Valley County Fair & Rodeo: Opens Monday and continues through Saturday, Aug. 9. More information available here.
• Live music: Spike Coggins to perform at the Warm Lake Lodge tonight at 7 p.m.

New Meadows

• City Hall Grand Opening: Celebration to be held in the New Meadows Railroad Depot Thursday night from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Light refreshments provided.
• Farmer’s Market: Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Dorsey Warr Memorial Park.
• National Night Out: Join city officials, the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Meadows Valley Fire and EMS, and others for a community celebration from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday at Dorsey Warr Memorial Park.

Yellow Pine

• Harmonica Festival: Thursday through Sunday. Event schedule and more information available here.

Mountain Pet of the Week

Meet Boo! If you’re thinking Boo looks familiar, that’s because she was featured in the March 5 edition of the newsletter wearing a light pink color in the snow (Mighty styling, I must say). Accessories are a way of life for Boo, owner Julie Mills said, as evidenced by her willingness to wear goggles for RZR rides!

Click here to nominate your pet for Mountain Pet of the Week for a chance to be featured on a weekly newsletter!