Good morning, Emmett. Here's what happened around town this week.

City & County

Merrill's Pit Hearing Is Sunday

The proposed 393-acre Merrill's Pit gravel project heads to its biggest moment yet — a public hearing on Sunday, April 6 at 6:00 PM at the Gem County Annex. Doors open at 5:15 PM and space will be limited.

Granite Excavation hosted a voluntary neighborhood meeting last week, bringing the developer and residents face-to-face for the first time. About 100 people showed up. Granite VP Dusty Hibbard said the conversation was productive, with neighbors asking direct questions about dewatering, well impacts, and berms. Neighbor Tamara Peccorini, who opposes the project, said she's frustrated the focus is on the post-mining vision while 15-20 years of active mining get less attention. Supporter Mike Pryor pointed to local jobs and inevitable growth. Sunday's hearing is your chance to weigh in.

Zoning Commission Also Meets Monday

The Emmett Zoning Commission meets Monday, April 6 at 6:00 PM at City Hall to vote on the three items previewed last week — the Wildflowers subdivision, Riverside Church special use permit, and the 35-acre annexation. We'll have results in next week's issue.

Schools

Levy Campaign Takes Shape

No new details yet on the Emmett School District's $2.3 million supplemental levy heading to the May 19 ballot, but expect the district to ramp up outreach over the next several weeks. We'll cover any public forums or new information as it comes.

Development

Cherry Orchards Blooming Early — Frost Season Is the Worry

Warm weather has Emmett's cherry trees blooming 10 to 12 days ahead of schedule. Lance Phillips at Gem Orchards told KIVI his wind machines can bump temperatures 3-4 degrees to protect the crop during frost events, and with over 3,000 trees across 11 varieties, there's a buffer built in. He expects plenty of local cherries for the Cherry Festival in June.

The bigger concern may be water. Low snowpack could mean 50-60% irrigation cutbacks in 2027, though stored reservoir water should cover this season.

New Business Downtown

Peoples Furniture officially opened its new location at 128 E. Main Street with a Gem County Chamber ribbon cutting on Tuesday. Another addition to downtown Emmett.

Community

Gem Orchards Farm Stand Coming in June

Gem Orchards plans to open its farm stand in early June, running through September. They'll have U-Pick fruit, apples, cider, jams, juices, and cut flowers.

Quick Notes

• The next Emmett City Council meeting is Tuesday, April 14 at 5:30 PM at City Hall.

Sports

Softball: Huskies Drop to 2-5 After Skyview Loss

Emmett took a 14-6 loss at Skyview on Tuesday in conference play, dropping to 1-2 in conference and 2-5 overall. The Huskies are next up at Nampa on Tuesday.

The early season has shown flashes — the 26-2 rout of Columbia and the 13-0 shutout of Payette were highlights — but the team is still looking for consistency in conference play against stronger opponents.

Baseball: First Win on the Board

The Huskies finally broke through on March 27, beating Weiser 11-1 on the road to snap an 0-10 start. It didn't carry over into this week — Emmett fell to Skyview 14-4 on Tuesday and lost to Parma 7-5 at home on Wednesday, moving to 1-12 overall and 0-3 in conference.

Sophomore Kyler Sullivan and freshman Kash Walton have both seen time on the mound alongside sophomore Eli Brennan. At the plate, seniors Nick Browne and Chris Fowler are leading the lineup. The schedule stays tough, but the Weiser game showed this team can put together a complete performance.