A developer has asked Bellevue to annex 191 acres on Gannett Road for 439 homes, from single-family houses to apartments, plus space for shops and light industry. The public gets its first chance to weigh in Monday night.

Also this week: the last farmers markets of the year, Ketchum's new police chief, a banned-books movie night at the Community Library, and sunny highs in the 70s all week. The Trailing of the Sheep starts Wednesday. Here's what's happening.

Top of Mind

Gannett Ranch plans 439 homes south of Bellevue

Steadfast Companies has asked Bellevue to annex Gannett Ranch, 191 acres on Gannett Road south of town. The first phase would be 65 single-family homes, 65 townhomes, and 225 apartments. A second phase adds 84 homes, and a third stays in agriculture. The plan also includes 10,000 square feet of commercial space and 100,000 of flex industrial.

The plan is built around sewer and water. Gannett Ranch would treat its own wastewater on site instead of tying into the city's system, and recharge treated water into the aquifer. Lance Emery, Steadfast's executive vice president of development, said water use would be "no more than 20% of the current agricultural irrigation use on the property."

The Sept. 28 joint meeting of the City Council and Planning and Zoning Commission was a pre-annexation hearing, with no vote and no public comment. The property met the basic legal tests for annexation: it borders city limits, and the owner consents. Emery said upcoming presentations will show how the project handles increased traffic, and council members asked to see the developer's studies as the review moves forward.

Public comment opens at the Bellevue P&Z on Monday, Oct. 5, at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall. A City Council public hearing follows in mid-October.

Source: the Idaho Mountain Express, Sept. 30 and Sept. 26

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Town Hall

KetchumKetchum wants to stop losing shop space. The City Council is starting on a "no-net-loss" rule: demolish a commercial building and you replace its commercial square footage. It follows the Bitterroot building at 200 N Spruce Ave, about 30 commercial units a developer wants to replace with three luxury homes; P&Z approved that in August. The council continued the Bitterroot decision to Oct. 8 at 5:30 p.m., and the ordinance could come up for adoption in late October. [IME]

KetchumMeet the new police chief. Shane Womack started about a week ago after nearly three decades with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. "If I'm a servant of the community, then I need to be asking the community how they want to be served," he told the Express. His swearing-in and a public meet-and-greet are Monday, Oct. 19, at 10 a.m. at City Hall. [IME]

HaileyHailey's water surcharges end Oct. 22. The summer surcharges and the conservation incentive program both wrap up then. Eighty households took part, and the city estimates the program saved about 4.5 million gallons, with use down year over year in June, July, and August. "For a fairly dry year we're doing really good," public works director Brian Yeager said. [IME]

HaileySmoke at the airport this morning is a drill. Friedman runs a live-fire training exercise at 9 a.m. Thursday, the last of three this week, with emergency vehicles, fire, smoke, and volunteers playing victims. The airport's word: "There is no actual emergency." [IME]

KetchumFirst Avenue should be done Sunday. A stretch of the new asphalt failed a compaction test, so the contractor is redoing Fifth to Fourth Street completely and part of Fourth to Sun Valley Road. The city's finish date for the whole project is Sunday, Oct. 4. [IME]

MeetingsSun Valley City Council, Thursday 4, City Hall; Ketchum P&Z, Thursday 4:30, City Hall; Bellevue P&Z, Monday 5:30, City Hall, on Gannett Ranch; Hailey P&Z, Monday, and County Commissioners, Tuesday, times on the city and county sites. [IME calendar]

Out & About

This week

Thu Oct 1  Green Drinks Sun Valley at Sawtooth Brewery, 110 N River St in Hailey, 5 to 7, free. A monthly happy hour for people working on environmental and social causes; the first 25 get a beer. [IME]

Thu Oct 1  Dr. Kerry Burnight on "Joyspan," the research on connection, purpose, and giving as we age, the Argyros, 5 to 6:30, free. Part of Spur Community Foundation's Giving Thought series. [IME]

Thu Oct 1  Parent happy hour at Cocoon, 101 E Bullion St, Hailey, 5 to 7. Bring your kids 0 to 5, and a partner if you like; free beer and wine for the grown-ups. $15 for the first child, $10 for a second. [info]

Thu Oct 1  "Look & See: A Portrait of Wendell Berry," the Community Library, 5:30 to 7:30, free. An 82-minute film on farming and rural change, then a Q&A with guests from Kentucky's Berry Center. [IME]

Thu Oct 1  Fall Sip + Paint with Kalie Rose Creative at EmieJames, 111 N 1st Ave, Hailey, 5:30 to 7:30, $55, supplies included. Twelve spots. [tickets]

Thu Oct 1  Community Sing at the Flourish Foundation, 6:30 to 8, free. [IME]

Thu Oct 1 to Sun Oct 4  "The Mystery of Irma Vep," Wood River Rep's last four shows at the Liberty Theatre in Hailey: Thursday to Saturday at 7, Sunday at 2. $20 to $45, ages 13 and up. Two actors, eight characters. [info]

Fri Oct 2  History of Sun Valley bus tour, a free hour on a Mountain Rides bus with local guides, 10:30, from the Visitors Center. [IME]

Fri Oct 2  Dinks on the Links, the pickleball alliance's first golf scramble, Bigwood, 2 p.m. shotgun. $500 a foursome, $125 alone, or $45 to skip golf for cornhole and putting. [info]

Fri Oct 2  SVMoA First Friday with Lobo Lara, 5 to 7, free. [info]

Fri Oct 2  SNDR Freeski Film Festival, sixth annual, the Argyros, 5:30, $19 to $29. Ski films from locals including Karl Fostvedt, Toby Rafford, and Willie DeWolfe. [IME]

Sat Oct 3  Hailey Farmers Market, last day of the year, Roberta McKercher Park, 10 to 2. [info]

Sat Oct 3  Legends Never Die, a half marathon and a 55K through Oregon Gulch near Easley in full fall color. Registration is open; start times get assigned by pace. [info]

Sat Oct 3  The Met: Live in HD opens its season with Mozart's "Così fan tutte," presented by Sun Valley Opera at Merlin's Magic Lantern, 10:55 a.m., $20 to $22. [IME]

Sat Oct 3  Clean Comfort Table, a gut-healthy cooking demo with Chef Melissa Lee at the Sun Valley Culinary Institute, 6 to 8, $135. [tickets]

Sun Oct 4  Beginner couples country swing and two-step, four Sundays, BCRD FitWorks in Hailey, 3 to 4, $100 a couple. [info]

Mon Oct 5  Goddess Flow prenatal yoga with Kelsey Schubert at Gather, 471 Leadville Ave, Ketchum, 4 to 5, $35 drop-in. A short meet-the-group intro, then 45 minutes of poses that help prepare for birth. [info]

Mon Oct 5  Knitting Circle starts at the Community Library, Mondays 4 to 6 by the fireplace, free. Patricia Lirk of Sun Valley Needle Arts helps beginners; bring your own needles and yarn. [IME]

Tue Oct 6  "The Kite Runner" on screen at the Community Library for Banned Books Week, 5:30 to 7:45, free, popcorn included. Registration required. The library's book club discusses the novel Wednesday. [info]

Wed Oct 7  Ketchum Farmers Market, last day of the year, Forest Service Park, noon to 4. [info]

Wed Oct 7  Craft Circle starts at the Hailey library, Wednesdays 5:30 to 7. Knit, sew, bead, collage, whatever you're working on. Ages 16 and up. [info]

Wed Oct 7 to Sun Oct 11  Trailing of the Sheep, thirtieth year. The free parts: the Folklife Fair, Saturday 10 to 4 at Roberta McKercher Park, and the Big Sheep Parade, Sunday at noon on Main Street in Ketchum. No dogs at the parade. [info]

Every Monday

4 to 6  Community Meal at Bloom, 110 Honeysuckle St, Bellevue, pay what you can. Thursdays too, noon to 2.

5:30 to 7  Volunteer for Veggies at the Hope Garden in Hailey. Work a shift, take home a share of the produce.

6 p.m.  Mindful Mondays, the Advocates' women's support group. Childcare provided. Call (208) 788-4191 for the location.

Every Tuesday

1 to 2  Lunchtime Language Spanish at the Community Library, free.

5 to 7  Cooking Club / Club de Cocina at Bloom Community Kitchen, free. Register at (208) 788-0121.

5:30  Volleyball in the Park at Atkinson Park, free.

Every Wednesday

10:15  Baby and toddler story time at the Hailey library, free. [info]

Noon to 1  Yoga and meditation with Ryan Redman at the Flourish Foundation, free.

2 to 5  Stitch group at Knit + Needle, free, all levels, drop in. [info]

3 to 4  Paws to Read at the Community Library, free.

3 to 5  Valley Traditional Music Jams at the Community Library, free.

5 and 6:30  Beginner Spanish at Town Center West through the Hailey library, level one then level two. [info]

6 to 9, then 9  At Whiskey's on Main: ballroom lesson at 6 ($40, a drink included), open dance 7 to 9, then free karaoke.

Every Thursday

11:30 to 12:30  Pop-In Poetry at the Community Library, free.

4 p.m.  Teens Art Collective at the Hailey library, free. [info]

5 to 7  Stitch group at Knit + Needle again, the evening one. [info]

6:30  Trivia at the TNT Taproom, 271 E Sun Valley Rd, Ketchum. Free, 21 and over.

Every Friday

11 a.m.  Story time at the Hailey library, free. [info]

Every Saturday

10 a.m.  Dungeons and Dragons club for youth at the Hailey library, free. [info]

3:30  Story time again at the Hailey library, free. [info]

Every Sunday

Noon, while supplies last  Tacos and Touchdowns at Whiskey's on Main: $20 all-you-can-eat taco bar.

Most nights

Thu to Mon, 5:30 to 8:30  Live music in the Limelight lounge, 151 Main St S, Ketchum. Free, no cover. [info]

Coming up

Thu Oct 8  A conversation with playwright Talene Monahon, a 2026 Pulitzer finalist for "Meet the Cartozians" and the Sun Valley Playwrights Residency's new resident, the Community Library, 5:30, free. Reserve a seat. [info]

Thu Oct 8  Baa-ttle of the Brains, lamb trivia and a lamb chili dinner at the Sun Valley Culinary Institute, 6 p.m., $50. [tickets]

Sat Oct 10  Wild Flora Farm's first on-farm flower workshop, near Bellevue, 2 to 4:30, $65. A farm tour plus arranging with the last fresh flowers of the year.

Tue Oct 13  Hailey library book club: Patrick Radden Keefe's "London Falling," Town Center West, 116 S River St, 5:30.

Wed Oct 14  Everything Except Pie: Chef Kathy Lower on the savory and sweet things classic pie dough can do, Sun Valley Culinary Institute, 6 to 8. [info]

Thu Oct 15 to Sun Oct 18  Sun Valley Jazz & Music Festival, 37th year: jazz, gospel, swing dancing, and street parades, more than 100 performances across five venues. [tickets]

Fri Oct 16  Funny Business, stand-up and live magic with magician and comedian Damian Regalado and guests, presented by Door Magic Studio, the Liberty Theatre in Hailey, 7 p.m. [tickets]

Sat Oct 17  "The Good John Proctor," free readings of Talene Monahon's dark comedy riff on "The Crucible," the Argyros' Bailey Studio, 2 and 6:30. Both are sold out; the Argyros keeps a waitlist. [info]

Sat Oct 17  Dahlia Days at Wild Flora Farm, 10 to 3. Help dig and divide the dahlias for next year; volunteers get coffee, snacks, and tubers to take home.

Sat Oct 17  The Hunger Coalition's Pumpkin Patch at Lookout Farm, 10 to 2. Carving and porch pumpkins, local vendors, food trucks, seasonal produce, and maybe a hay maze.

Sat Oct 17 to Mon Oct 19  Book sale donations for the Friends of the Hailey Public Library, 10 to 4, Town Center West. Books, DVDs, CDs, puzzles, and games; no textbooks, magazines, or VHS.

Mon Oct 19  Meet Ketchum's new police chief, Shane Womack, at his swearing-in and a public meet-and-greet, Ketchum City Hall, 10 a.m. [IME]

Over Galena

Thu  Family movie night at Velvet Falls, free. Kids' film at 6, the older crowd around 8. [info]

Wed 7:30  Trivia at the Kasino Club, 620 Ace of Diamonds.

Upcoming closings  Redfish Lake Lodge and its Lakeside Grill close at noon Sunday, Oct 11; the Sawtooth Hotel after Saturday, Oct 17; and Stanley Baking Co. after Sunday, Oct 18.

Mark it down

Tue Oct 20 to Sat Oct 24  Rotarun Ski Swap. Register your gear online by Oct 23 at 6 p.m., then drop it off Tuesday at Rotarun (5 to 7), Wednesday at Sturtevants Ketchum (4 to 6), or Friday at Sturtevants Hailey (3 to 6). Shop Saturday, 10 to 4, at Sturtevants Hailey. Sellers keep 70%. [info]

Sat Oct 24  Sun Valley Glitter Games, Campion Ice House, Hailey, 7 p.m. Sun Valley Suns players team up with local figure skaters. $25, kids 12 and under $15, and a $70 family pack through Oct 10. [tickets]

Sat Oct 24  Teton Gravity Research's "Actually, It Is Rocket Science," the Argyros, 4:30 and 8. [tickets]

The Dirt

River and fish. The Big Wood is down to 132 cfs at Hailey, 73% of the 181 cfs median for the date; a week ago it ran 148, or 83%. Silver Creek at the Sportsman Access is 80 cfs and 52 degrees at 9 a.m., about 78% of its median. [USGS]

Sun all week. Ketchum runs sunny with highs of 75 to 79 from Thursday through Tuesday, and nights around 40. Good weather for a race in Oregon Gulch and the last two farmers markets. [National Weather Service]

Smoke to expect. The Sawtooth National Forest plans prescribed burns this fall on the Ketchum Ranger District and in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. There are no dates yet, since burns wait on wind and air quality. Areas near a burn may close for several days; in smoke, slow down and turn your headlights on. [IME]

Over Galena. Valley Creek at Stanley is 91 cfs, right around its median for the date, and the Salmon below the Yankee Fork is down to 481 from 538 a week ago. [USGS]

Open House

A one-acre lot in Elkhorn is headed for a jury trial. Village Townhomes wanted to build 19 market-rate rental townhomes at 103 Village Way, five at 2,880 square feet and 14 at 1,920, up to 44 feet tall. The Elkhorn Springs Master Association blocked the project, the developer sued it in August 2025, and the project's approval expired in April, so building there now takes a new application. A seven-day trial is set for March 1, 2027, in 5th District Court. [IME]

Table Talk

Nothing opened or closed that we could confirm this week, so here's where the lamb is. Lamb Fest runs inside the Folklife Fair on Saturday, Oct 10, 11 to 4 at Roberta McKercher Park: lamb sliders and ice cream from Better Ask Brenda, lamb tacos and quesadillas from KB's, lamb tortas from La Parrilla, Moroccan lamb hand-helds from Sawtooth Brewery, and lamb pizza from South Valley Pizzeria. Each one sells its own, and there's beer and wine. [info]

Know about a new spot or a shuttered one? Hit reply. Tips beat press releases every time.

Help Wanted

BellevueBeans & Brews is hiring part-time baristas. You need to like people and coffee; they'll teach the espresso machine, cash handling, and the register. [posting]

KetchumThe Wood River YMCA has part-time openings for lifeguards, a Swordfish swim team coach, an after-school teaching assistant, welcome center staff, and a climbing wall attendant. Staff get a free Y membership. [postings]

HaileyThe City of Hailey is hiring full-time in public works: two streets equipment operators, one of them a lead, an assistant mechanic, a water operator, and a wastewater collection operator. All are open until filled. [postings]

Sun ValleyJohn Foley Inc. wants a part-time personal assistant for the owner and his wife, Monday to Friday with occasional weekends, at $30 to $50 an hour: schedules, travel, errands, and some business admin. [posting]

Sun ValleyCassie's Cardinals is hiring a full-time personal assistant and residential property manager for a private household, at $95,000 to $130,000 a year. [posting]

Hiring? Put your opening in front of the whole valley. Email [email protected].

If you do one thing this weekend, get to the Hailey farmers market Saturday. It's the last one of the year, 10 to 2 at Roberta McKercher Park. Ketchum's last is Wednesday.

See you next Thursday.

The Bigwood Brief

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