Jackson

The Snow King Ski Area in Jackson plans to build new infrastructure for outdoor activities, including a new gondola to the top of the mountain where visitors can access a new beginner slope.

Although we live in the West not everyone has the opportunity to ride a horse. A summit in Jackson is trying to make horses accessible to more people. Even if you live far away and sometimes need help going through your day today.

Income inequality has risen in every state since the 1970s. That's according to a new report published by the Economic Policy Institute — a left-leaning non-profit think tank. The most unequal metro area is right here in our region.

The Trust for Public Land has released new plans for the Astoria Hot Springs Park. The Jackson Hole nonprofit involved over 2,500 locals in the design process.

Two writing conferences will be held in Wyoming this June. The Wyoming Writers, Inc. Conference will take place in Dubois June 1 through 3, and the Jackson Hole Writers Conference will be held in Jackson June 28 through 30. Topics and workshops include pitching, publishing, manuscript critique, and creative process.

After serving Teton County for over 40 years, Central Wyoming College will finally have a permanent home in Jackson. A $500,000 appropriation from the Wyoming legislature has helped move the project forward.

Members of the Jackson Hole Chorale are joining more than 170 other vocalists from across the USA and Canada to sing a well-known piece. The performance is organized by Distinguished Concerts International New York, which assembles amateur choirs from around the country to perform at Carnegie Hall. In January, a group of singers from Cheyenne participated in a performance at Carnegie Hall organized by the same group.

While some communities celebrate football stars, snow-based sports dominate in Jackson Hole. The Jackson Hole Ski and Snowboard Club inducted 10 new members into the club’s Hall of Fame during a banquet Saturday at Snow King Resort. Among the new Hall of Famers, former U.S. Snowboard Team member and pro snowboarder Rob Kingwill had easy access to ski lifts and training living next to Snow King Mountain.

This week, the third annual Grand Teton Winter Music Festival brings together speakers and musicians for four days of music and culture in Jackson.

The winter festival is an expansion of the long-running summer music festival. This festival will feature Chicago’s Fifth House Ensemble, a fluid multi-instrument group.

This year’s festival highlights American contributions to classical music. “One of the reasons that we’re working with this group is because they’re very much championing new music – and new American music.

Teton County contributed $250,000 toward a shared solar energy facility in Jackson. The solar farm was approved by the town council this past August. Instead of individuals and business buying their own panels, customers will buy solar power from the plant.

The chair of the Teton County Board of County Commissioners, Mark Newcomb, said the farm will help alleviate pressure from their main source of energy: hydropower.

Jackson Hole’s annual SHIFT Festival kicked off this week with Native American leaders defending Bears Ears National Monument. Each year, SHIFT gathers outdoor enthusiasts from around the nation. This year, Native American leaders took center stage.

Jackson Hole's annual SHIFT Festival brings together the outdoor recreation industry and conservationists. This year, the festival is focusing on making the case for how conservation can be good for business. Gov. Matt Mead's Policy Advisor Nephi Cole attended SHIFT to release a new report that he says will guide the state in how to enhance outdoor recreation in Wyoming.

Residents in the town of Jackson living near Snow King Resort need to be more vigilant about keeping garbage locked away so bears can’t raid it. According to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, there’s been a rash of hungry bears entering town limits as they fatten up to hibernate for the winter.

Department spokesman Mark Gocke said people are waiting too long to report bear sightings. He said one black bear received over 20 food rewards, such as garbage, bird seed, and crabapples before it was reported to them.

Jackson's town council made way for more solar investment last week, allowing customers to buy into the soon-to-built solar farm. 

The shared solar system would be based out of a farm at Jackson’s wastewater treatment plant. The solar farm, itself, was approved by the town council this past August. The idea is for new customers to buy solar power from a farm, rather than buying panels themselves. 

Johnny Ziem, Jackson’s wastewater plant superintendent, co-developed the idea for a shared solar farm. He said the next step is to solidify new customers.

A program in Jackson is expanding to offer 17 scholarships to female skiers and outdoorswomen who want to improve their skills on the mountain. The Jackson Hole Babe Force scholarships will allow women to participate in American Avalanche Institute courses, the Elevate 1 Women’s Ski Camp in Jackson, and Keely’s Ski Camp for Girls in Oregon.

Hundreds of filmmakers are gathering at Jackson Lake Lodge in Grand Teton National Park this week for a biennial film competition that attracts filmmakers from around the globe.

"It's incredible, I mean there's more than 800 people attending this festival from all over the world so it definitely is the Oscars of wildlife filmmaking," said Jackson filmmaker Shane Moore.

Last week, four undocumented immigrants were arrested in Jackson, and two in Cody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. Since then, some Wyomingites are concerned that immigration raids are taking place, despite Teton County Sheriff’s Jim Whalen saying earlier this year that would not be happening. 

Jackson town officials have been deluged with angry emails and phone calls after the mayor decided to remove portraits of President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence from town hall last week. The flap has garnered national media attention and gone viral on social media. Town Councilman and Vice Mayor Jim Stanford says he’s sorry for the fallout, which includes visitors saying they will cancel trips to Jackson.