A look back at 2020 from Sun Valley's perspective after becoming ground zero for COVID-19 in Idaho

When we look back it is easy to realize that the virus was here before precautions were put into place and history will also take note that America wasn't very prepared for the pandemic.

5:30..."GOOD EVENINGTHANKS FOR JOININGUS TONIGHT..

IMNICOLE CAMARDAWHEN PEOPLE LOOKBACK AT 2020 THECOVID-19 PANDEMICWILL BEREMEMBERED FORHOW IT CHANGEDLIFE AS WE KNEW IT...BUT ALSO FORUNPREPAREDAMERICA WAS TODEAL WITH THEVIRUS.OUTDOORREPORTER STEVEDENT TAKES A LOOKBACK FROM THEPERSPECTIVE OFSUN VALLEY AS THISRESORT COMMUNITYBECAME GROUNDZERO FOR THE VIRUSIN IDAHO.THE NATIONALBROTHERHOOD OFSKIERS HAD AREASON TOCELEBRATE IN SUNVALLEY AS THEIRTWO FOUNDERSWOULD BE THE FIRSTTWO AFRICANAMERICANSINDUCTED INTO THEU.S. SKI ANDSNOWBOARDINGHALL OF FAME."IT'S QUITEEMOTIONAL IN FACTBEFORE YOU LEAVEHERE I WOULDSUGGEST YOU GOINSIDE AND SHOOT AVIDEO OF THATDANCE FLOORBLACK IT IS AMICROCOSM OF SKIAMERICA WHITEGREEN OR PURPLEPEOPLE ALL OUTTHERE HAVING AGREAT TIMETOGETHER."BUT AT THE TIME WEDIDN'T KNOW THEVIRUS WAS ALREADYHERE AND THEREWERE NORESTRICTIONS ORWARNINGS FORTRAVELERS WHENTHE BLACK SUMMITENDED ON MARCH7TH."THE LATEST ON THECORONAVIRUSEMERGENCY THEWORLD HEALTHORGANIZATION NOWSAYS THE OUTBREAKOF COVID-19 CANNOW BE CLASSIFIEDAS A PANDEMIC."ON MARCH 13THIDAHO WOULD GETTHEIR FIRSTCONFIRMED CASE OFCOVID-19."WE KNOW THATTHIS WAS BROUGHTINTO OUR FROM ACONFERENCE IT WASNOT SOMETHINGTHAT THEYACQUIREDLOCALLY."MORE THAN 100PEOPLE WHOATTENDED THEBLACK SUMMIT GOTSICK AFTERRETURNING HOME TOTHEIR LOVED ONES.BLAME BEGANCIRCLING BUT IN SUNVALLEY IS WAS BEINGPOINTED AT THENATIONALBROTHERHOOD OFSKIERS UNTIL THEMAYORS OF SUNVALLEY ANDKETCHUM ALONGWITH THE NBS PUTOUT A STATEMENTSAYING THAT BLAMEWAS BASELESS ANDMERITLESS."WHAT SUN VALLEYSEEMED TO HAVEMORE THANANYTHING WASOPEN ARMS."BLAINE COUNTYWOULD END UPBECOMING GROUNDZERO FOR THECORONAVIRUS INIDAHO AND SKISEASON CAME TO ANABRUPT HALT."I AM CONCERNEDABOUT THE MENTALHEALTH OF OURCOMMUNITY ANDCOMMUNITIESTHROUGHOUT IDAHOTHIS IS ANINCREDIBLYCHALLENGING TIMETHIS IS A TIME TOCOME TOGETHERAND A TIME TOSUPPORT EACHOTHER IN EVERY WAYWE CAN."BLAINE COUNTYENACTED SOME OFTHE STRICTESTMEASURES IN THESTATE AND ACOUNTYWIDE MASKMANDATE DURINGTHE SUMMER BUTBALANCING HEALTHAND BUSINESSINTERESTS IN A SKITOWN DIDN'T COMEEASY."THIS IS ALL WEHAVE WE DON'THAVE ENOUGHPEOPLE IN THISTOWN WHO LIVEHERE YEAR-ROUNDTO KEEP ALL THERESTAURANTS BUSYIT IS A TOURISTTOWN."GRUMPY'S HAS BEENA STAPLE INKETCHUM SINCE1978."WE HAVE MOREPLEXIGLASS THANTHE ARENA."THEY BOUGHT INTOCREATING A SAFEENVIRONMENT."I'M GOING TO HAVEA HOST ATGRUMPY'S.EVEN GOING ABOVEAND BEYOND TOENSURE GUESTSCAN ENJOY THAT SKIRESORTHOSPITALITY."MOST OF OUREMPLOYEES EITHERHAVE PARENTS WHOLIVE HERE THAT AREOLDER OR FAMILYMEMBERS THAT AREIMMUNE-COMPROMISED SOWE WANT TO KEEPEVERYONE SAFE."AS WE HEAD INTOTHE NEW YEAR SUNVALLEY RESORT HASOPENED BACK UPAFTER EARNING THEHONOR OF BEINGNAMED THE NUMBERONE RESORT BY SKIMAGAZINE."IT'S SUCH ATESTAMENT TO THEENTIRE SKI RESORTAND THE ENTIRE SUNVALLEYCOMMUNITY."AND EVEN THOUGHTHE PANDEMICCONTINUES THERE ISA LIGHT AT THE ENDOF THE TUNNEL WITHVACCINES ON THEWAY AND HOPEFULLYIN 2021 ART CLAY ANDBEN FINLEY WILLFINALLY BE ABLE TOATTEND THEIR HALLOF FAME CEREMONY."WE ARE SO PROUDOF THEM THEY ARECELEBRITIES TO US."STEVE DENT IDAHONEWS SIX.BLAINE COUNTY ISNOW IN THEMODERATECATEGORY WITH APOSITIVITY RATE OFFOUR PERCENTACCORDING TOIDAHO DEPARTMENTO