Planet Jackson Hole News Briefs 11/21/07

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

By PJH Staff

GTNP acquires another inholding
Jackson Hole, Wyo.-It has been a good month for the National Park Service and Grand Teton National Park. GTNP announced on Monday its has acquired a 1.4-acre tract it has had its eyes on for more than a decade.

The land is located on the Moose-Wilson Road, about five miles south of the park’s headquarters. The parcel is part of what was formerly known as the Hartgrave property, which was purchased in 1995 by Gerald T. Halpin to prevent its development until the National Park Service could afford its purchase. In 2005, NPS bought the remaining three acres.

Grand Teton National Park said in a Monday release that the land was a “key inholding property” and “a top priority for acquisition, in part because it lies within an area that provides habitat for a diversity of wildlife species.”
Funding provided by the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act (FLTFA) of 2000 made the acquisition possible.
— PJH Staff

Broncs coach undergoes emergency surgery
Valley native Bill Wiley, who just last week coached the Jackson Hole High School Broncs football team to its first state championship title in 20 years, underwent emergency surgery at a Salt Lake City hospital Sunday for heart complications.
Wiley was life-flighted to Salt Lake when a heart defect became complicated by infection. A family spokesperson said Wiley’s surgery went well and that Wiley was doing “pretty good.”

He will remain in Salt Lake for at least another eight to 14 days before he can be cleared to travel back to Jackson.

Wiley was recently named the High School Coach of the Year in Western Wyoming. His Broncs won the 4A State championship on Nov. 10, capping off the squad’s first undefeated season since 1980-81.

Wiley’s wife, Cynthia, and his brother, Scott, are among several family members with Wiley as he recovers in Salt Lake.
— Jake Nichols

’Ghee to open …sometime … soon
Officials at Grand Targhee Resort are hoping for a pre-Thanksgiving opening, but it might take something of a minor (though not implausible) miracle for the West Slope ski area to open slopes to the public by Thursday.

As of Monday night, the Alta resort had received no new snow in the previous 24 hours, but forecasts called for intermittent snow showers beginning late in the day and continuing through midweek.

Base depth stands at 40 inches at mid-mountain. Resort spokesperson Susie Barnett-Bushong said Targhee needed another 12-15 inches, depending on snow density, before it could begin operating its Dream Catcher quad chair. After the needed snowfall, the resort will require about 24 hours before it can open to the public.

Grand Targhee keeps an updated snow report on its web page (www.grandtarghee.com) or call 1-800-Targhee for a daily updated conditions report.

In related news, Snow King Resort has been shooting for a Thanksgiving Day opening date, but that will take more of a major miracle.
— Ben Cannnon

Christmas arrives in Jackson on Friday
You can get all “Bah, humbug!” about it if you want to, but that won’t change the fact that Christmas season starts the day after Thanksgiving. For the next five weeks we will be inundated with Christmas songs and Christmas commercials, Christmas decorations and greetings of “Merry Christmas!” So get used to it.

Better yet, embrace it by attending the Town Square Lighting, the traditional kick off to the Christmas season in downtown Jackson Hole, 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Friday on the Square.

Major renovations to George Washington Memorial Park (as the Square is officially named) won’t stop the usual festivities of holiday music, the ceremonial switching on of the light-festooned trees (bag those incandescents, TOJ, and let’s look into energy-saving LEDs next year) and an early appearance by the Hardest Working Man in Christmas, Santa Claus himself.

Of course it’s all free, although volunteers are still needed to help set up and serve cocoa and goodies. Dress warmly and be prepared to stay for two hours. If you’re interested, contact Jess Farr at 733-3316 ext. 23 or email her at Jessica@jacksonholechamber.com.

If you miss Santa on this swing, don’t despair: He’ll be back in the Stage Stop Building on the southwest corner of the Town Square 5:30-7:30 each night starting Dec. 15.
— Richard Anderson

Community Band pulls it together
On Sunday, I dragged my kids to yet another Jackson Hole art event. They didn’t want to go, but once the Jackson Hole Community Band struck up their annual fall concert, they sat mesmerized in their seats at the Center Theater. Well, my daughter actually snuck out and blabbed with her friends on the lobby couch during the second half, but my boy stayed and heard stuff he recognized.

I don’t have a lot of patience for concerts, but I was impressed by the sensitivity of Dennis A. Reese’s conducting. He kept all those brash instruments from pummeling us, and then called them forth to knock us around when the music called for it. I found the concert pleasantly musical and pleasantly short, clocking in at about an hour including intermission. The occasionally ill-fitting formal attire was a bit nerdy and comes off as pretentious, though I don’t doubt the earnest intent.

As always, playing in tune is a challenge for amateurs. Failing to do so can threaten to undo gains made in other areas, such as chops and dynamics. But a community band concert requires some patience, and fortunately there were moments during each piece (and for most of the Bizet saxophone quartet) when tuning and blend came together to make for a truly professional sound. And that’s a worthy accomplishment.
— Judd Grossman
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Planet Jackson Hole News Briefs 11/21/07 | Planet JH News Article: General News

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