The Idaho Enterprise/Caribou County | February 29, 2024

Enterprise The Idaho

Caribou County Responds to Emergency at Chesterfield Reservoir

Over the weekend, a call was received by the dispatch center for assistance at the Chesterfield Reservoir. A press release from Sheriff J Adam Mabey reads:

“At about 3:40pm, Sunday, February 25, 2024, the Caribou County Emergency Communication Center received a call for assistance at the Chesterfield Reservoir, approx. 16 miles north of Bancroft. It was reported that a 47 year old female had been involved in a snowmobile accident while out on the reservoir ice. The parties involved said it had been a slow day fishing and that the people in their party had been taking turns on the snow machine when the accident occurred. The victim was not wearing a helmet. The Caribou County EMS was dispatched along with the Caribou County Search and Rescue, Sheriff’s Deputies and Portneuf Air Rescue Helicopter. The victim was moved off the ice to the Reservoir’s main parking area where she was loaded onto the helicopter

and transported to Portneuf Medical Center. The condition of the victim is unknown.” In rural counties like Caribou, the importance of services such as Life Flight and a rapid and well-equipped Search and Rescue crew is extreme-

ly important, as demonstrated by this recent event. Sheriif J Adam Mabey stated, “I am very grateful for the helicopter resources we have available to our rural community and the dedication of the volunteers who man our Ambulances and Search and Rescue."

Bowen Shines At State with Third Title

Jody Reeves

The Soda Springs Cardinals sent six wrestlers to the state tournament last weekend inside the ICCU Dome in Pocatello. The six Cardinal wrestlers, five boys and one girl, would all represent Soda Springs well. Of the six wrestlers, four would place and make the podium.

Abbiegail Krupp would be the lone female wrestler for the Cardinals. She would work hard but fail to grab a win and would be eliminated in the second round. The Cardinal’s other wrestler who failed to place would be Owen Miller. Miller would perform well winning his first match by decision 6-4. Miller would fall in his second match before winning his third by decision 13-6. He would need to win his next match in order to place. Unfortunately he would lose by technical fall and be eliminated.

Cole Garbett would take home sixth place after going 3-3 in his matches. Cole would win his first match then be sent to the consolation bracket after dropping his second. Cole would win his next two matches before ultimately getting beat in the fifth place match on the bracket.

Zayden Garbett would place fifth in his weight bracket. Zayden would fall in his first bout and be put in the consolation bracket. From there Zayden would look good as he would win his next three matches. Two by fall and one by forfeit. In his next match he would have a rematch with his opening round opponent where he would once again lose to the older more experienced wrestler. From there he would wrestle in the fifth place match where he would win by pinning his opponent.

Elijah Dilworth would have a terrific tournament as he was one of the wrestlers thought to contend for the state title in his weight. Elijah would make short work of his first opponent pinning him in under one minute. In the second round he would once again look very good and eventually pin his opponent once again. That win would put him in the semi final just one win away from wrestling in the championship match. In that semi final match things would be a little

more competitive as Elijah would get the victory by decision 14-7. This would put him in the championship where he would face a senior from Clearwater Valley. The match would go all three rounds and be competitive throughout. In the end Elijah would run out of time and come up just short losing by decision 8-6. Elijah would earn the second place spot on the podium and will undoubtedly return next year as one of the favorites once again.

Even with the success of these wrestlers all eyes would be on Tucker Bowen. Tucker would enter the tournament seeking his third consecutive state title. Tucker, who has recently

signed to wrestle at the University of Wyoming, would be the favorite to win his weight class. Tucker would meet expectations as he would dominate his first two opponents winning both matches by technical fall with scores of 20-5 and 17-2. Tucker would ease up slightly in his semi final match as he would win just by major decision 13-2. That would put him in the championship match right where he planned to be when the weekend began. In the title match Tucker would look very comfortable despite never having wrestled

US lands craft on moon

The Odysseus lunar lander has become the first U.S. made spacecraft to touch down on the moon in 50 years made touchdown last week. The condition of the craft is unknown by mission control at present. The craft, nicknamed “Odie,” experienced a very difficult landing attempt, during which mission control lost communication contact with the craft. Later, contact was announced to have been re-established. The mission for Odie, the first commercially produced vehicle to touch down on the moon, is to assess the environment of the moon’s south pole in advance of the planned crewed mission to the moon, currently scheduled for late 2026.

Grocery merger leads to lawsuit

On Monday, the Federal Trade Commission sued to block the $25 billion dollar merger between Albertsons and the Kroger Corporation. The proposed unification of the two grocery giants would be the largest supermarket merger in U.S. history. The FTC is skeptical of the merger, because in their opinion the merger would radically reduce competition in the supermarket sector at a time when food prices are skyrocketing. Kroger and Albertsons employ unionized employees, and the companies state that their merger would represent an alternative to the non-unionized companies Walmart and Costco, although unions themselves are largely opposed to the merger.

AT&T Outage affects thousands

Last Thursday, tens of thousands of U.S. customers lost cell phone access as as result of an outage on the part of AT&T. While there have not yet been any reports of serious results from the interruption, many 911 services were potentially unable to receive or respond to an unknown number of calls, and it was reported that some lines had been flooded by calls from people seeking to verify that their phones could still contact emergency services. There is no evidence that the outage was the result of any malicious action, but the chaos and communication problems that resulted from it certainly put a spotlight on the potential for such an interruption in service to generate confusion if a malefactor were to undertake it in the future.

Brad Compher trial underway

The man accused of murdering Pocatello woman Nori Jones in 2004 is finally facing trial for his alleged crime. Compher was originally charged with the stabbing death of Jones in 2014. His trial has been delayed since that time as his competency to stand trial was argued in the legal system. Compher was first found competent enough to understand the trial proceedings, but was deemed not competent enough to justify the death penalty as a potential punishment. DNA linking Compher to the crime has been uncovered in the meantime.

EMS called in Life Flight, over the weekend, to Chesterfield Reservoir

Lucas Hansen shares the spotlight with his friend, three-time state champion Tucker Bowen.

Caribou County EMS keeps county safe

The Caribou County Emergency Medical Services Department covers all of Caribou County, keeping the county as safe as possible with a network composed largely of volunteers. They are dispatched by the dispatch office at the Caribou County Sheriff’s Department, which handles emergency dispatching for the range of response services that includes ambulances. EMS averages around 41 calls a month, EMT Trainer Kya Simmons said. She explained that most of them were related to unknown medical problems. “It can be a sudden onset of something or a chronic illness they have been dealing with,” she said. Dispatch logs support the frequency of these sorts of medical interventions.

Sometimes, the situation might begin with milder symptoms, but eventually turn into something more serious. In cases like that, early medical intervention is critical to the recovery outcome of the patients. As Simmons said, “It could also be something serious such as a cardiac emergency or a stroke and they just don’t know it, they just feel “off””. Being seen by a doctor as soon as possible after something as serious as a heart attack or stroke can be the difference between a very positive outcome and one with eventual complications as a result of early, untreated damage. “Silent heart attacks” were recently found to occur more often than was previously thought, and can have significant longterm health implications if not caught immediately.

In addition to medical emergencies related to illness and underlying conditions, ambulances also commonly respond to accident scenes and injuries. In Simmons’ line of work, she also encounters a number of less common circumstances. While Simmons is prevented by HIPAA regulations from mentioning any specifics, she can say that “all calls are memorable in some way.

There is always something that sticks with me on each call I go on.”

Currently, the county has a group for each town in addition to the unified administrators. Overall, the department has 2 full-time and 1 part time staff member. The rest are volunteers. By area: Soda has 20 volunteers with 3 of those being drivers only; Grace has 12 volunteers; Bancroft has 11 volunteers with 4 of those being drivers only.

Although each of the teams has its own area, they all pitch in to respond if needed anywhere in the county. As Simmons said, “Our teamwork and commitment to helping those in the community is our strength. Our response times are generally very quick.”

Like any organization, there is always room for improvements to be made. “We evaluate what we could be doing better and act accordingly. We could always benefit from more volunteers!” Simmons suggests.

As a Trainer, Simmons gives many presentations, demonstrations, and other outreach efforts throughout the year. She takes part in mock accident drills with the schools, health fairs, standbys at football games, rodeos, and other sporting events when needed.

One of the other things that EMS participates in serves as an indicator of the times we find ourselves living in—live shooter drills. Ever since the Columbine shooting in 1999, emergency response providers have sought methods for providing the public with strategies for dealing with such an unimaginable occurrence. The training allows EMS to practice the process of triage (organizing victims into groups in order of the urgency of their intervention needs) for shooting events and other mass casualty incidents.

The EMS also attends Health Fairs, public gatherings, and other events. In some

cases, EMTs are required to be on hand by local, state, or federal law.

Earlier in February, Simmons and her husband Stephen spent time talking to Wendi Young’s Girls Scouts. “My husband, who is also an EMT, was contacted by his friend Ryan Gentry who asked if we would be interested in speaking to the scouts about 911 and basic first aid. I used to be a dispatcher for the Caribou County Sheriff’s Office as well, so I know things they would need to know when calling 911 as well,” Simmons said.

While most kids are aware of 911 and emergency services, very few have actually found themselves needing to call them. Children can be naturally shy and unsure about calling adults for help, and one of the things Kya made sure to get across was that “We are there to help. If there is any question about whether we need to be there, it’s safer to call and not need us then to need us and not call.”

Once the kids do become comfortable with Simmons and the EMS crew, they tend to open up and express their innate curiosity. “The most common question kids ask is what the worst thing we have seen,” Simmons said, though the same is generally true of adults as well. “Other questions include whether we were the ones who helped when their loved one was hurt, what do we do, how do we know what to do, how do we know where to go, etc.”

For Kya, answering those questions is all part of the job, and she’s happy every time she gets a chance to do it. Showing the kids around the ambulance, the various gear and equipment, and demonstrating some of the techniques used by EMTs in emergencies are all part of the job.

Simmons stepped into the training position in December of 2023. The position

Charter school in Lava Hot Springs

We are covering this story in our paper due to its proximity to Carribou Co. school districts, and the issue's importance to the area.

With the future of an elementary school in Lava Hot Springs in doubt at present, a committee to explore the potential for establishing a charter school in the town hosted a public meeting at the Senior Center on Thursday, February 22. The meeting was held following a meeting of the Marsh Valley School District in which an “exploration” of the potential for a charter school to occupy the Lava Hot Springs Elementary building was approved. Marsh Valley Superintendent Gary Tucker cited declining enrollment as the primary reason that Lava Hot Springs was being singled out for potential closure.

Several options for students in the area were discussed, including bussing the students of Lava Hot Springs to other, nearby schools in the district. Another idea, and one that has gained traction due to the efforts of concerned parents and citizen Oliver Reis, Megan Reno, and Randy Benglan and others, is the possibility of turning the elementary into a charter school.

The meeting was partly designed to allow for the election/appointment of a representative to pursue the role of “fellow” with the charter school organization Bluum, who would be providing the institutional apparatus for establishing the school and a framework for moving forward. Bluum is a non-profit group that is responsible for charter school process in Idaho. A “fellow” works as a liaison with Bluum and the state’s educational entities, and functions like a district superinten -

dent in administrative terms.

During the meeting, nominations were requested for the fellow position, though it was clear to many of those in attendance that a perfect candidate had been found to exist in the town’s midst already.

Colleen DeGraff has an extensive history in the charter school arena, having founded the Liahona Prep Academy in Provo and the Noah Webster Academy in Orem. She has worked in a number of capacities relevant to the potential heavy lift that will be required to get Lava’s proposed charter school off the ground, including writing charters, administrating schools, coordinating between agencies, and working with teachers and boards. DeGraff has been in Lava Hot Springs for around 5 years, and has grown to love the community. That love is important to the development of a charter, as in her experience they work best when the community is highly involved in the decision

making and design of the school’s makeup.

The economics of a charter school were discussed, although that conversation is likely to become an ongoing issue as the process unfurls. As noted earlier, population decline in Lava Hot Springs will put pressure on the school for continued funding. It was suggested at the meeting that while priority would be given to residents of Lava Hot Springs, students from other areas would be able to apply to the charter school as well. Charter schools, unlike prep academies and private schools, do not carry additional tuition charges. They receive state funding in the same manner as public schools. They do not, however, receive additional funds from public levies or bonds.

Charter schools are also able to choose an emphasis for their academic offerings, whether that be STEM/STEAM, Outdoor Topics, Athletics, Fine Arts, or whatever

creates a centralized method for ensuring that the volunteers are up to date and in practice. In addition to outreach to the community, the EMS also works to educate the county’s emergency workers. As Simmons said, “I plan monthly trainings to go over things we need refreshing on such as diabetic emergencies, cardiac emergencies, trauma emergencies, extraction, etc.” The training sessions also allow the group to share its concerns and successes with each other and work toward functioning as a cohesive, county-wide response team.

Just this weekend the EMTs, along with Search and Rescue (who many of the volunteers and staff at EMS also belong to) and the Sheriff’s Office, responded to an emergency situation at the Chesterfield Reservoir involving Life Flight. The Caribou County Memorial Hospital, like those in Montpelier, Bingham County and Malad, is a Level IV Trauma hospital, which means that it provides stabilization, transfer, and emergent trauma care, but without full Trauma Operating Room services. As a consequence, most serious injuries are transported to the Level II Trauma Center in Pocatello or Logan. This makes the immediate intervention and assistance of the EMTs in Caribou County of utmost importance to the victims involved.

Training is a vital part of keeping the team as sharp and up to date as possible with its trauma response. It also helps the crew maintain their required certification with the State of Idaho, which needs to be renewed every four years.

Anyone wishing to volunteer with the Caribou County EMS can call the office at the non-emergency line (208) 547-2583. Volunteers are considered on an ongoing basis, and always needed.

the community deems most appropriate for the student population.

During the meeting, it was clear that the community of Lava Hot Springs is heavily invested in keeping a school in town, and in offering their children the best possible future going forward. Given the high level of engagement, the community seems willing to support whatever solution will achieve those goals.

By the end of the meeting, Colleen De Graff had been voted as the candidate for Bluum fellow by acclimation. A meeting between Bluum, the School Board, and the Albertson’s Foundation will be convened to vote on DeGraff’s nomination, after which the building blocks of the charter process could begin to be laid.

Kim Funk, Kya Simmons and Stephen Simmons provide support across the county with the Caribou County EMS.

The Scouts were given a demonstration of how transportation in an ambulance works.

Colleen DeGraff was nominated as the “fellow” for the proposed charter school.

Lava Hot Springs Elementary is facing either closure, or the transformation into a charter school.

Chamber of Commerce meets; board elections set for this week

Soda Springs –

The third meeting of the Soda Springs Chamber of Commerce was held at Enders Hotel on Thursday, February 22. A project to revitalize the Soda Springs Chamber of Commerce has been underway over the last month, with Debbie Dumont, Scott Muir, and Paul Gritton initially coordinating meetings to explore the potential for reinstating the Chamber of Commerce, which has not been specifically active for several years.

A number of new people attended the meeting, including the Pace Development group, which is pursuing a new subdivision development in the city.

Debbie Dumont recapped the work of the committee so far. During the first two meetings, a subcommittee was formed to help establish the basic framework for the chamber and develop its first steps. In the past, the “level” of membership held within the chamber was determined by the number of employees a company employed. The subcommittee discussed using a different model that would be based on levels that members could choose to join, rather than based on employee numbers.

The subcommittee chose to create a base Bronze level at $100/yr, a Silver level at $500/yr, a Gold level at $1000/yr, and a Platinum level at $2000/yr.

In conjunction with the establishment of a tiered membership system, the subcommittee discussed the kinds of things the chamber could provide to members to create value in the membership, including perks for guests, advertising promotion, and other ideas.

The ultimate design and content for the website has also been under discussion. The Chamber agreed that hosting ribbon cuttings, anniversaries, and other events, as well as hosting open houses for businesses that changed ownership or did remodeling, were important services the chamber should provide.

Another item discussed was the creation of a quarterly news letter covering projects, and highlighting businesses. The Newsletter will also include advertising for the platinum members. The newsletter will be digital, and hosted and distributed online.

The subcommittee also decided that they wanted to create a “welcome to the community” packet for distribution.

As far as events planned for future meetings, the subcommittee reported on the desire to try to focus on educational opportunities for each month’s meeting, including training on specific software, and workshops on useful practices. It was also considered important to provide value to the members on a monthly basis. Projects undertaken by the chamber will primarily be handled through subcommittees.

As an official chamber of commerce, the SSCC will be able to join other chamber orgs and access other resources.

Every member will receive a

certificate of membership, with a plaque for the platinum members.

The floor was opened for input, with the proviso that nothing had been set in stone. “It’s up to us as a whole to find out what we want to do,” Dumont said.

It was mentioned that the chamber is essentially reusing/reworking the previous and existing Chamber of Commerce structure, so that they don’t have to do it from the ground up.

After input from the room, it was tentatively decided that only one membership would exist for each business or organization, which would equate to one vote in the chamber, which would not be transferable or assignable, although another individual could be deputized to make the vote.

In the past, there were 11 total board member positions. Initially, they decided to start with 5 members since they were just starting out. The chamber will have a Chair and a Vice Chair instead of a president. The board will elect Chair/ VC in the future. The board will divvy up responsibilities and distribute them to Board members, with the goal of breaking them up among members best qualified to take on those projects.

Next on the agenda, the chamber had planned to elect officers so that they could begin working under an officially constituted board. However, it became clear as the vote approached that some of the members were interested in holding the election until this week.

During the second meeting, a total of five attendees mentioned that they were willing to put their names forward for consideration to be elected to the board. As a result of the several new people at the third meeting, it was decided that making sure everyone was comfortable with the process was more important than expediting it.

Board members will serve for one year terms, between elections. Bylaws for filling positions which were vacated before the year were discussed. As it was not clear what that policy would be, a year long commitment from those volunteering to serve was particularly important.

Meeting times for the chamber will be determined by the board once it is elected, but for now the group plans to meet once a month in a rotating series of locations.

Scott Muir expressed his belief that making sure as much as possible that no one felt excluded was an important consideration.

Alan Skinner raised the point that the charter allows for 10 members, it would be possible to elect some members now and others later.

After a discussion, a show of hands vote determined that nominations would continue to be taken through Monday, and voting would take place on Wednesday and Thursday of this week. Kaylee Peck will distribute a code for an online meeting, and the meeting will just be for voting.

Pace Development

A group called the Pace Development Group introduced themselves to the chamber meeting attendees. Karen Salis explained that the company was “moving forward with a residential development to bring a housing development to Soda Springs…We look forward to con -

necting with you individually. We are in the phase of absorbing as much info as we can.”

The group stated that their intention was to “provide housing for employees of the hospital, mines, businesses, etc. We will provide the kind of housing that you need. It really will be designed to meet your needs.”

The group has met with investors and officials from the city. They are considering developing land they have purchased on Hooper.

The group hopes to complete the information gathering process within a couple of months. “We’re trying to find out ‘who are the people that would actually live in this new development? If you make something for everyone, you’ve made something for no one,” Salis said.

COUNTY IS FRIDAY AT 4:00 P.M.

Debbie Dumont speaks to the group assembled to chart the direction of the revitalized Chamber of Commerce in Soda Springs.

During the months following the Caribou County Sun's last edition in October, many obituaries were not published locally. As a community service, the Enterprise will be running those obituaries in our pages free of charge so that a record of those passings will be available to residents of the county. Obituaries are one of things that help bind communities together, remind them of their roots and history, and help keep those who have moved away maintain their ties to their hometowns.

Barbara (Schwartz) Hansen

November 13, 2023

Barbara (Schwartz) Hansen passed away peacefully on November 13, 2023 after a 7 year journey with Dementia disease. Up until the end Barbara maintained her kindness, grace, compassion, appreciation of beauty, love of family and friends, and expressed gratitude for her long life, full of wonderful and varied experience.

Barbara lived and worked in Davis County during her younger years. She worked as a Inventory Parts Manager for Boeing at Hill Air Force Base, after graduating from Davis High School in Kaysville. After retiring she moved to Cache County Utah where she met the love of her life William (Phil) Hansen. She then after marrying Phil moved to Grace, Idaho.

Barbara always had such a sharp wit that often caught people off guard. She had great comebacks. She loved photography and could catch the perfect bird in flight. She won many awards.

Barbara enjoyed her experiences and travels with her husband Phil Hansen. They were two peas in a pod. She also enjoyed her time quilting and making friends with the church group.

Barbara was a gem of a person who appreciated all that life gave her even in her diminished state near the end of her life, she quickly made friends in her assisted living facility. Many thanks to the staff at Heritage Senior Living and Symbii Home Health for their love and care.

Barbara is survived by one sister Diane Toom (Paul), one son Mark Cardon (Michele), two daughters Roxanne Nalder (Stephen), and Paulette Bales. Several grandchildren Sheldon Williams (Janet), Russell Williams, Jason Cardon, Bernadette Cardon-Smith (Samatha), Clinton Cardon, Skyler Bales, and Samuel Bales. Three great grandchildren Hayden Williams, Kaleb Williams, and Octavia Bales.

Barbara said at the end to “Please don’t cry because I am gone; instead be happy I was here (or maybe cry a little bit. After all I have passed away.) Today I am dancing and singing, probably naked. Love you forever.” A graveside farewell was held at the Lago Cemetery on Saturday November 18, 2023. A celebration of life will be held at a later date.

Susan Harris Jorgensen

April 6, 1945 - November 9, 2023

Susan Harris Jorgensen was born on April 6, 1945, in Soda Springs, Idaho. She returned to our Lord and Savior on November 9, 2023. She was a lifetime resident of Caribou County. Born to Denton Weaver Harris and Martha Redford Maughan, she was the fourth child out of six. She spent her early years on the family ranch in Thatcher, Idaho, before moving with her family to Soda Springs.

She attended Soda Springs High School, graduating in 1963, then attended Rick’s College and received her teacher’s certificate in 1965. She returned to Soda Springs and began teaching school in the Fall of 1965. She received her Bachelor of Arts in 1975. Susan met Carl Jorgensen while they were both teaching at Hooper Elementary. They were married and sealed in the Logan, UT Temple in 1972. Many adventures were enjoyed until their children joined them and made life interesting. Susan and Carl’s first child was stillborn. Their other four children, Anji, Arik, Gail, and Marti kept their parents extremely busy. Luckily, Susan had her wit and fun personality to keep up with them and her husband.

Susan was an amazingly hard worker who not only taught school for 43 years and raised her family, she also ran a ranch and farm with her husband at night and was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She served as Ward Chorister, Primary Teacher, Young Women’s President, and many other duties, with her favorite calling being Primary Chorister. She loved teaching her students, and her creativity often shone through in her lessons and her approach to teaching. Susan also loved music. She was part of a singing group called “Country Charm” and later “Charming Sisters” with her sister, Anne, and friends. She enjoyed performing and singing with them at many

events including the Eastern Idaho State Fair. She also enjoyed playing the alto saxophone and piano.

Susan was an accomplished seamstress. She created many different outfits that were worn and modeled in different events. After retiring from teaching, Susan helped out with her grandchildren. She was a proud grandmother of 11 grandchildren and 2 and a half great grandchildren. Susan was also an accomplished shopper in her retired years. She enjoyed spoiling her kids and grandkids. If you ever need a good story about her shopping, ask her children or grandchildren.

Susan is survived by her husband Carl, children Anji, Toby, Arik, Christina, Gail, Marti, and Clint, and grand and great-grandchildren.

Susan was preceded in death by her parents Denton and Martha, her two brothers Dean and Lynn, and her sisters Janet and Joan. Susan was a bright and shining star and will be dearly missed. The world will never be the same without her iconic advice.

A viewing and funeral services were held at the LDS chapel at 281 E. Hooper Ave.; Soda Springs, ID on November 17, 2023.

Larry Vernal Hopkins

April 1, 1943 - November 19, 2023

Larry Vernal Hopkins, 80, of Soda Springs, Idaho, passed away peacefully on Sunday, November 19, 2023, surrounded by his loving wife and children. Larry was born on April 1, 1943 in Soda Springs Idaho to Vernal and Juanita (Romero) Hopkins. He was the youngest child with two older sisters, Dorothy and Maxine.

Larry was a longtime resident of Soda Springs, Idaho. Larry spent most of his youth in Meadowville, where the family farm was located. When Larry was not working on the farm with the family, he attended school in Soda Springs.

Larry attended Soda Springs High School and graduated in 1962. Larry enjoyed his classmates so much that he decided he needed to stay an extra year with them before he graduated. After graduation, Larry started dating Vicki Smith.

Larry and Vicki were married in the Logan LDS Temple on May 29, 1963. At that time, he was working for the Idaho Department of Transportation, and they were making their home in Soda Springs. In May of 1964, Larry went to work for Monsanto. Larry held several different positions and retired after working for Monsanto for 35 years. Larry and Vicki welcomed three children during this time, Wade, Heather, and Heath.

While working for Monsanto and raising their family, Larry purchased the family farm in 1985. LV Farms became an integral part of Larry’s and his family’s life. You could always find Larry out puttering at the farm.

Larry enjoyed all the outdoor activities that he could. He and his family loved hunting, fishing, camping, riding horses, riding road bikes with friends, spending summers and fall

at the cabin in Diamond Creek, and making many trips down the Salmon River. After retirement, Larry and Vicki purchased property at the Dike Lake and enjoyed many summers at the lake cabin. They were also able to spend many winters in Overton, NV with friends.

In the fall of 2020, Larry contracted COVID. During this time, it was discovered that Larry had a rare blood disorder. The next three years, Larry received 77 blood transfusions fighting this disease.

Larry is survived by his wife, of 60 years, Vicki, two sons and one daughter, Wade (Kristy) Hopkins, Ivins, Heather (Tracy) Ainscough and Heath (Rainie) Hopkins, of Soda Springs, ID. He has 9 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren.

Larry is preceded in death by his parents, Vernal and Juanita, and his two sisters, Dorothy Hopkins and Maxine Fields.

Funeral services were held on Tuesday, November 28, 2023, at the Hooper LDS Church building. A viewing was also held at the Sims Funeral Home on Monday, November 27, 2023. Services were under the direction of Sims Funeral Home.

Karen Christensen Allen

February 26, 1948 - February 19, 2024

Grace, Idaho–-Karen Christensen Allen, (75) a recently returned daughter of Gem Valley, passed away Monday February 19, 2024. Karen was born February 26, 1948. in Soda Springs, Idaho to Kenneth and June Christensen. She was raised on the family farm in Central, Idaho. She graduated from Grace High School Class of 1966. She married Larry Glen Allen June 10,1966 in the Logan Temple. Karen spent the next 58 years of her life as a devoted spouse to her husband and loving mother to her children and grandchildren and great grandchildren. Larry’s work required the family to relocate several times throughout their marriage with the majority of their lives spent in the Treasure Valley. Four years ago they moved back to Grace to her final home. Already a talented seamstress, cook, and homemaker; the many moves challenged Karen to grow and develop many new talents and skills– tole painting, cake decorating, sewing designer jeans, and engaging in small business ventures with her children with the making and selling of lollipops/suckers.

When she retired she enjoyed being with her family, making jewelry, knitting and crocheting clothing, etc. In general she was kind and loving. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, she served faithfully in many callings with Homemaking Leader being her favorite. Mom was blessed with auburn hair and she resisted anytime anyone teased her about being a “red head” She had a sense of humor as well as strong willed determination. Her favorite name was “Granny” and she cherished each of her 10 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. She is loved and will be missed.

She is survived by her eternal companion of 62 years: Larry Allen of Grace, Idaho. Three children: Clint (Ginger) Allen of Boise, Jason Allen also of Boise, Idaho; Sarah Allen of

Kuna, Idaho. Her 10 grandchildren all from the Treasure Valley: Taylor Allen, Parker Allen, Ellery Allen; Lena (Mitch) Truong, Meagan Allen; Grant (Molly) Putnam, Brandon VanWinkle, Joel (Jorden) VanWinkle, Ana (Morgan) Allen, Jessica VanWinkle. Two great grandchildren Gyda and Reiner Truong. She is survived by two brothers Wynn (Darla) Christensen of Iona, Idaho and Bart (Cherie) Christensen of Grace Idaho. A sister-inlaw JoAnn (Ron) Holland of Selah, Washington.

She was preceded in death by her parents Kenneth and June Christensen of Grace, Idaho and a sister Margaret Petersen of North Salt Lake, Utah.

Funeral services will be held on Friday February 23, 2024, at 12 noon at the Grace Idaho Stake Center 404 S. Main St., Grace, Idaho, 83241. Burial will follow in the Grace Cemetery.

The family wishes to thank First Ward Relief Society, Bishop Drew Wright, Heritage Assisted Living,and Sims Funeral Home

Barbara (Schwartz) Hansen

Larry Vernal Hopkins

Susan Harris Jorgensen

Karen Christensen Allen

CARIBOU COUNTY SHERIFF

Zachary Lynn Adams, Tremonton, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50

Bethany Beausang Bartkus, Austin, speeding (16 mph or over), $98.50, costs $56.50

Marek Price Davis, Pocatello, speeding (16 mph or over), $98.50, costs $59.50

David Ford, Firestoen, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50

Jacqueline Sant Gilpin, Pocatello, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50

Mitzie M Hunt, Montpelier, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50

Aiden Micheal Kaiser, Thornton, speeding (16 mph or over), $98.50, costs $59.50

Christopher D Magone, Idaho Falls, speeding, $33.50, costs $59.50

Rosalie Jones Noorda, Garden City,

speeding (16 mph or over), $98.50, costs $56.50

Samuel Cook Phippen, Iona, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50

Zhan Shu, Sunnyvale, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50

Emily Shumway, Preston, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50

Samuel Smith, Preston, speeding (16 mph or over), $98.50, costs $56.50

Shalyce Wallentine, Bismarck, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50

SODA SPRINGS POLICE

Lana Lyn Berry, Montpelier, operate when unsafe or improperly equipped, $10.50, costs $56.50

Jirzey Kelley Carpenter, Soda Springs, vehicle registration-fail to register annually, $10.50, costs $56.50

MAGISTRATE COURT

Daniel Jesse Brown, Arimo, Drug Paraphernalia-use or possess with intent to use $102.50, costs $200.50Agency: CCSO

Mauri Vilca Guevara, Soda Springs, driving-reckless, $350.00, costs $210.50, 21 days jail time, 21 days suspended, 30 days drivers license suspended, 12 months probation - Agency: CCSO

Daniel Gene Hunt, Twin Falls, shooting from or across a public highway, $25.00, costs $165.00 - Agency: IF&G

Lewis J Keyes, Soda Springs, driving under the influence, $700.00, $400.00 suspended, costs $202.50, 118 days jail, 22 days suspended, 129 days credit time served, 180 days drivers license suspended, 24 months

FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK

We find ourselves here at the launch of our fourth in-county issue of the Idaho Enterprise Caribou County, and as you might expect we’ve had some things go very well, and some other things go less well. As we end this first month, I thought I’d bracket our rollout with an update from my perspective.

My topline take is that I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished in the first set of issues. While using the Caribou County Sun’s approach as something of a model for content, we have worked to make the approach to coverage our own, and to find our own way through figuring out how to cover a number of communities and stakeholders that make up Caribou County. Covering three main towns, plus the county itself, has turned into a more multi-faceted job than we (or at least I) had anticipated. Luckily, a number of people have been very supportive and helpful at helping me locate resources, numbers, schedules, and event details. In particular, the city offices in Grace, Bancroft and Soda Springs have all been incredibly receptive and friendly. The County Clerk’s Office and members of the

BIRTHDAYS

Sidney Thompson, March 6

Helen Christensen, March 8

Winnetta Parker, March 9

Charlie Gentry, March 10

Terre Lakey, March 10

St. Patricks Day, March 17

Carol Steffensen, March 17

SueAnn Turner, March 21

Matt Swope, March 22

Ann Hamm, March 23

Wendy Lewis, March 23

Gayle Powell, March 26

Robbie Lamarr, March 26

Peggy Gould, March 28

Jerry Bush, March 29

Carolyn Hunsaker, March 30

Charles Fryar, March 30

Dorothy Cox, March 31

If you would like to add yourself, your kids, loved one, friend or family member to our weekly birthday list, contact Sherrie at 208-766-4773 or email sherrie.w@idahoenterprise.com

Board of County Commissioners have also been fantastic. Members of the school districts in each location have also been great sources of information and material. Many others have reached out and gone above and beyond in a number of ways, and I thank every one of you.

We have added Jody Reeves to our small but hopefully growing staff. Jody was referred to me by the countless people who explained that his Facebook page had filled a void in local event reporting left after the Sun’s exit. Luckily for us, he has been an enthusiastic reporter on the scene of the county’s athletes, and again, we couldn’t have put out these issues without him. Debbie Dumont has been a great help as a local guide of sorts, and a welcome contributor. Paul Gritton, Michalene Rindlisbaker, and Wendi Young have contributed pictures that we’ve used, which are of course generous and invaluable additions to a community paper.

Now, to the things we need to improve. Our small staff and quick publication window (many events take place over the weekend, and our

publication materials are due in by Monday) mean that errors are a real source of concern. While nothing major has happened, we have had some typos, missing captions, and other proofreading issues get past us. Last week, for instance, a city council report was briefly interrupted on the page by a (potentially more interesting, but still) wrestling update that had inadvertently been copied to two folders. These kinds of errors are not fatal, but they certainly are not necessary and each one of them causes me a week of heartache (until the next week provides a fresh set of them).

We are still seeking people who may be interested in assisting with occasional small article writing, proofreading and administrative tasks, and consulting on various topics. You can contact our office at (208) 766-4773 if you are interested in helping out. We are in the process of working out in-person hours at our Soda Springs location. By the end of March, we should have posted hours of operation so that someone is available in town to speak with walk-in concerns, phone requests, and other business. For news and content issues, please

probation - Agency; SSPD

Kristina N Mallory, Grace, disturbing the peace-willfully disturbs neighborhood, $25.00, costs $157.50 - Agency: CCSO

Payton Gage Perron, Grace, driving-reckless, $250.00, costs $157.50, 3 months probation - Agency: CCSO

Kurt D Robbins, Grace, driving under the influence, $700.00, costs $443.50, 180 days jail time, 170 days suspended, 2 days credit time served, 24 months probation, alcoholic beverage-consume or possess open container by driver, $200.00 costs $187.50, 10 days jail time, 8 days suspended, 2 days credit time served, 24 months probation - Agency: CCSO

email me at brandon.h@idahoenterprise.com. For advertising issues, contact Shelly William at shelly.w@ idahoenterprise.com. And for subscriptions and general questions, contact Sherrie Wise at (208) 766-4773 or sherrie.w@idahoenterprise.com.

Former subscribers of the Caribou County Sun will still receive two more weeks of issues, through the March 14 edition. Subscription information can be found in this and any of our prior issues. Yearly subscriptions for in-county subscribers are $55/year, and $67/year for out of county. (An earlier paper had listed $65 as the price, which was incorrect.)

This week will also be the final full county mailing for a while, and the paper will take on its normal form of a subscriber-based paper. We hope that you’ve enjoyed the first month of content, and might consider becoming a subscriber. As the months and years roll on, we will undoubtedly become more streamlined with our production week, and wider in our coverage range. We hope you’ll be there with us.

EVENT CALENDARS LUNCH MENUS

GRACE

March 1 – Friday

BBB State

March 2 – Saturday

BBB State

March 3 – Sunday

LDS Services

March 6 – Wednesday City Council (6pm)

March 7 – Thursday

ES No School – PT Conference

BANCROFT

March 3 – Sunday

LDS Services

March 4 – Monday

School Board (6:30pm) Booster Club (6:30pm)

SODA SPRINGS/ CARIBOU COUNTY

March 1, Friday

Caribou County Senior Dinner

BBB State

March 2 – Saturday

BBB State

March 3 – Sunday

Presbyterian Services

Caribou Bible Church Services

Catholic Mass

Open Arms Church Services

LDS Services

March 6 – Wednesday

Caribou County Senior Dinner City Council (5pm)

March 7 – Thursday

County P&Z (6pm)

Debate State @ Middleton

PT Conference (Thirkell)

Chamber of Commerce (3pm)

ON THIS DAY

1692 First people are accused of witchcraft in Salem, MassachusettsSarah Good, Sarah Osborne and Tituba, a West Indian slave

1904 Theodore Roosevelt, appoints 7-man Panama Canal Commission to proceed with completing a canal at the Isthmus

1908 Dutch scientists produce solid helium

1940 12th Academy Awards: “Gone With The Wind” wins eight Oscars

1940 Hattie McDaniel becomes first African American woman to win an Oscar for “Gone With The Wind”

1944 Karol Wojtyla, future Pope John Paul ll, is run down and injured by a Nazi truck in Krakow

1960 First Playboy Club, featuring

BRAIN TEASERS

SODA SPRINGS LUNCH MENU

Monday, March 4

Lunches served with Milk

Cheeseburger, Chips, Fruit, Veggies

Tuesday, March 5

Popcorn Chicken Bowl, Fruit, Veggies

Wednesday, March 6

Chicken Pasta Bake, Fruit, Veggies

Thursday, March 7

Corndog, Fruit, Veggies (ES & MS – No School)

NORTH GEM LUNCH MENU

Milk and Choice of Bar Each Day

Monday, March 4

Italian Dunkers, Deli Bar, Green Beans, Mandarin Oranges

Tuesday, March 5

BBQ Flatbread, Deli Bar, Roasted Baby Carrots, Pineapple Crisp

Wednesday, March 6

Pizza Rippers, Deli Bar, Broccoli/ Cauliflower Bake, Banana Splits

Thursday, March 7

Min Corndogs, French Dip, Deli Bar, Potato Wedges, Fresh Apple Slices

GRACE LUNCH MENU

Monday, March 4

Lunches served with Milk

Popcorn Chicken, Fried Rice, Fortune Cookie, Food Choice –Roasted Broccoli or Tropical Fruit Mix

Tuesday, March 5

Chicken Fajita, Cookie, Fajita Veggies, Food Choice – Refried Beans, Corn, or Orange Wedges

bunnies, opens in Chicago 1964 LBJ reveals the U.S. has secretly developed the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, and advanced, long-range high-speed and high-altitude reconnaissance airplane

1968 Beatles’ “Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” wins Grammy Award for Album of the Year, the first rock P to do so

1976 ABC-TV broadcasts pre-

Wednesday, March 6

Pepperoni Cheese Bread, Food Choice – Green Salad or Mandarin Oranges

Thursday, March 7

Alfredo, Breadstick, Food Choice – Roasted Broccoli or Cinnamon Applesauce (ES No School)

miere of 1965’s hit “The Sound of Music”

1976 American driver Richard Petty wins the only Winston Cup race run on Leap Day, taking the Carolina 500 at Rockingham by 2 laps over Darrell Waltrip

2004 76th Academy Awards: “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King”, Sean Penn and Charlize Theron win

Election Season Letter Policies

As the primary season nears an end, the general election season is beginning to rear its head. Politics are a reliably contentious area of discussion at all times, but especially as we approach another highly contested and statistically tight presidential race at the top of the ticket.

Looking ahead to the balance of the year, the Enterprise would like to present the following policies regarding letters to the editor and contributions from candidates for office leading up to November.

For candidates, we will extend each candidate the opportunity to submit a Letter to the Editor from their perspective as a citizen. In this issue, such a letter can be read from Joseph Messerly, who will be running for

the District 35A Representative seat. Consider this citizen letter as an introduction to Messerly as a resident of the city, county, state, and country. All other candidates running this election season (including those running for re-election) will be extended the same courtesy. Please sign your letter with your name and city of residence, but leave off direct campaigning and your campaign affiliation in the message.

All subsequent materials from candidates will require the purchase of ad space, in the interests of content neutrality. All such content will require an accurate “paid for by” statement to be included with the print run. We encourage candidates to focus on what they themselves will do for vot-

Week #7 Legislative Update-- Sen. Mark Harris, District 35

Big congratulations go out to the girls’ basketball teams in our area. They competed in State Tournaments in Boise last week, and both Grace and Bear Lake teams brought home State championship titles. And Soda Springs won the State Sportsmanship Award. This is good for our local schools, our community, and our kids.

School boards were in Boise this week for their annual meetings, and I was able to spend time with a few members from our local school districts. Education continues to be one of the highest priorities of Governor Little and of this Legislature. A piece of legislation dealing with school facilities, House Bill 521 (H521) has been introduced in the House and is currently on the House floor waiting for a vote. This is a significant piece of legislation because it provides the largest State investment in school facilities. H521 dedicates $125 million in ongoing taxes to the School Modernizations Facilities Fund by increasing the percentage of State sales tax revenue and redirecting lottery funds into the modernization fund, making the total fund allocations about $200 million annually. This bill is designed to help school districts pay down their school bonds and plant facility levies. Any remaining funds could be used by school districts for additional school facility projects.

One issue in the bill involves schools on a 4-day school week schedule. The authors of the legislation want to require school districts to remain at a 5-day school week to avoid extending the school year into the summer to fulfill State requirements. This is an issue I am concerned about and will investigate it further.

H521 also reduces State income taxes for Idaho taxpayers from 5.8% to 5.695%. There is quite a bit of support

for this bill, and I expect it to be in the Senate soon.

The crisis at our nation’s Southern border is a mess. The federal government is doing nothing to curb the flow of illegal aliens crossing that border. To express our frustration to Congress, the Idaho State Sente passed Senate Joint Memorial 102 (SJM102) this week with significant Senate support from all but four Senators voting no. The federal government has failed to secure our Southern border and, consequently, failing in its responsibility to secure our nation. The federal government is also failing to provide a legal visa program to help the labor demands of many domestic businesses, especially in the agriculture, food processing, construction, and hospitality industries. SJM102 expresses the desire of Idaho citizens and businesses that the federal immigration system be updated to implement a secure Southern border, provide for a much-needed legal workforce, and prohibit amnesty for all illegal aliens.

As always, I like to hear from you. Please feel free to contact me at: mharris@senate.idaho.gov I will do my best to get you answers!!

Week #7 Legislative Update - Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35

It is always a great week when the young people of Idaho are in Boise. Visiting with the 4-H Know Your Government students on Monday morning was a refreshing start to my day. I’m impressed again at their work ethic, commitment to learn more, and general goodness. I was then energized to get another of my bills introduced. HB 604 will add some experience requirements for journeymen electricians who take on the role of overseeing an electrical contracting operation. A grand shoutout to the organizers of the house memorial program which took place Monday morning. The program takes the time to honor former legislators who have passed away in the past year. It was a sobering reminder of the decades of public service that is given by members of our communities from all over the state.

I was very glad for the opportunity to visit with several school boards from around district 35. From Soda Springs and North Gem, to Marsh Valley and District 93, we had some excellent discussions about house bill 521, which will provide sales tax funds for use constructing or maintaining school facilities. I am frequently impressed by the caliber of citizens that serve on our school boards, and appreciated hearing their input.

I presented House Bill 542 to the House Health and Welfare Committee Wednesday morning. I’m enthusiastic about this bill and was gratified to see it move out of Committee with unanimous support. It will make its way to the house 3rd reading calendar today. We have plenty of bills on the floor calendars now, and we will certainly begin to see more and more lengthy floor debates, as we work to find solutions for the good people of Idaho.

ers, rather than on their opponents.

For voters, it is always hard to anticipate how actively letters to the editor will be pursued by the community. As a starting point, though, we would ask writers to limit themselves to one submission a quarter (every 90 days or so) so that we can provide space to as many voices as possible. Also, please try to limit contents to 200 words or so out of the same interest in space.

Because there are likely to be a number of people writing on the same candidates or issues, we reserve the right to choose a representative example of those voters’ position to publish in situations where that is the case during a single week. We also reserve the right to reject the publi-

cation of any letter than indulges in specific, personal insults or attacks on candidates rather than policies or positions, or any letter than exceeds the word count in significant ways.

As a paper, we hope to fill the role of town square, where anyone in the community is welcome to share their views, opinions, and insights. Our paper will not make any candidate endorsements during the election cycle, though we again reserve the right to take an editorial position on more general issues of interest to local voters as they arise.

Hopefully, this will be a season for the open and polite exchange of viewpoints, shared or otherwise.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

We Can’t Sugar Coat Our Legislative Session

I like many others enjoy sitting down and reading some of our east Idaho legislators' updates on what’s happened in the capital during the session, but the last few weeks I have finished reading them and can’t help feeling uneasy. Not because they’re lying to us, but because they share the wins they see without mentioning anything about the extremists that are attacking our rights. Don’t get me wrong, Idaho has had some incredible victories over the last couple of years, but we have also had near misses of both the good and the bad. So while I of course celebrate the victories big and small, we also must address the uneasiness of it all. For instance, the unprecedented ousting of the majority leader and holding the state budget hostage. And how we need to protect our children from Libraries, but not bullying or unsafe child labor tactics.

House Majority Leader Megan Blanksma was made an example this session in historic fashion by being ousted in a private caucus for opposing a budget scheme that departed from our decades-old process. This process consolidated power into the hands of a few people, many of which don’t represent you and I. These skeleton budgets that are being passed neglect critical investments in transportation, education, and so much more leaving us the citizens of Idaho hoping that they fulfill their promises to come back and finish the job. These historic moves in our legislature reek of everything we hate about Washington and leaves behind our core Idaho values.

Four Library Bills have failed to pass in the last three sessions to date with the Idaho Library Association stating there is more on the way. What was the purpose of these bills?

To put a bounty on our libraries and librarians if a minor reads a book that is deemed harmful to them. While also discriminating against people of different races and the LGBTQ+ community. It’s always spun as a way to protect Idaho children from

pornography a thing that is easy to access on the family computer, tablets and phones. After overwhelming testimony against all of these bills in committee and polling that says almost 70% of Idahoans have trust in public libraries and librarians the bill was sent to the floor. How could our legislators ignore the overwhelming majority of Idahoans? All under the guise of protecting Idaho’s children.

Unfortunately, protecting Idaho’s Children stops at library books. With the Idaho legislature failing to pass House Bill 539 a bill that would require schools to notify parents or guardians if their child has experienced bullying, and provide them with materials to keep them safe in times of emotional and possible physical distress. How can we justify trying to protect our children from books, but not bullies? It doesn’t stop there, Senate Bill 1300 aims to remove 5 different codes that prohibits child labor in the state. Not only would it allow children to hold physically demanding jobs, but it would allow them to do it during school hours! Why would legislators allow Idaho’s children’s education to suffer? It’s quite simple, to flood our job market with cheap labor. The same thing we deplore about third world countries around the globe.

With a full budget yet to be passed and the Idaho legislature looking more like Washington D.C. than Boise, and our current representatives focused on protecting our children from books and not bullies and child labor, I think a fair number of us do feel uneasy when we read about the little wins or the sugar coated version of Boise. While of course, we shouldn’t just look at the bad, we must look at our legislative process as a whole. This is how we keep freedom for all Idahoans, not just the extremist. That’s how we know who to vote for in this upcoming-crucial election year in Idaho.

By Joseph Messerly Soda Springs

The following are summaries of stories from this week in years past, originally published in the Caribou County Sun.

5 Years Ago, 2019

During a City Council meeting, Grace created designations for Animal Units for the purpose of drafting a resolution in accord with the zoning ordinance. It was decided that one animal unit equalled one cow or cow with calf, one heifer, steer, bull, one horse or mule/ donkey, on alpaca, one llama, one deer, one swine, two sheep and two goats. Any animals beyond the number of units allowed under the zoning ordinance will require a conditional use permit/variance. During the same meeting, a small animal permit was agreed to cost $25.

A public hearing was held during Soda Springs City Council for P4 Production, LLC, a local unit of Bayer. 60 acres south of their plant on property theu own south of Hooper Road was requested to be changed from A-2 Agricultural to M-1 Light industrial to allow for the installation of a selenium treatment facility. The rezone was approved. During the same meeting, the qualifying area for nominees to the Planning and Zoning board was discussed. At issue was the fact that some members of the community with homes just outside the impact zone were interested in serving on the board, but prohibited by its by-laws.

The Rotary Club of Soda Springs announced the theme for the 4th of July celebration, which was “100 years—Caribou County” in honor of the anniversary. In conjunction with the theme, the Rotarians were seeking citizens who were 100, or would turn 100 by December 31, to serve as special grand marshals for the parade.

The Grace Grizzlies finished their wrestling season with an impressive showing at the State Tournamnet in Pocatello. Clayton Lunt placed third in the 120 lbs bracket, and Bray Skinner placed 6th in th 126 lbs bracket. In Soda Springs, four members of the Cardinals team wrestled in the tournament, with Caden Bailey and Cameron Bailey making it to the second day of the competition. Caden finished with a sixth place finish, and Camer-

on finished one point short of medalling.

The Soda Springs 6th grade girls basketball team won the West Side tournament, with the roster of Abby Goodin, Rachel Hansen, Aspen Davis, Gracie Moldenhauer, Mayli Whitworth, Aubry Holsten, Emily Thornock, and Cate Walker. They were coached by Tim Johnson.

10 Years Ago, 2014

Mayor Jim Smith recounted a conversation he had had with Mayor Jackie Barthlome about outdated city ordinances. It turned out the Grace still had an active city ordinance authorizing the city to pay a 50 cent bounty on each skunk tail brought into city hall. As a result of their discussion, the two mayors committed to working back through the ordinances on the books and getting rid of those that were not needed. Many skunks breathed easier as a result.

The Caribou Field Archers held their annual Field Archer’s Banquet, to elect new officers and discuss the purchase of new targets, upcoming archery shoots, and the Trail Canyon Outdoor Range.

Soda Springs Boys Basketball survived a scare against West Side to end the game 5250. After defeating Malad 4839, the team faced West Side again, this time dominating to a 60-35 final score and securing the trip to Boise for the state tournament. Hunter Belnap scored 14, Riley Yamauchi and Landon Hayes scored 12, and Hunter Goodenough scored 10.

Lesson Leader Linda Anderson presented information on Jean Rio Griffiths Baker at the monthly meeting of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers Camp Meads. Jean Rio Griffiths was born in 1810, who traveled to the Salt Lake Valley in 1851 with the pioneers. Sharon Berg conducted the meeting, which was co-hosted by Alene Maughan and Ileen Lind.

Pam Eaton, President of the Idaho Retailers Association, argued in a guest opinion piece that it was time to implement online state sales tax for Idaho, which at the time was voluntarily reported for online purchases. In her opinion, failing to make sure sales taxes stayed in Idaho would negatively affect brick and mortar retailers and unfairly advantage out of state online operations in

the future.

Chicken Dinner Road, a favorite old time bluegrass act, performed the final show of the 2013-2014 season at the Gem Valley Performing Arts Center. The band won the Battle of the Bluegrass bands competitions in 2009 and 2011. GVPAC ended the season with a benefit quilt raffle, door prizes, and a season pass winner.

Louise Hotchkiss, RN, and Shannon Earl, RN, were named “Guardian Angels” for their professional and compassionate assistance with patients. The two were nominated by a patient at the hospital. In addition to the nomination for the Angels award, the patient also donated a generous sum to the CMH Foundation for scholarships and educational programs.

The film at the Idan-Ha for the week was the remake of Robocop, with a matinee of the animated film Epic.

20 Years Ago, 2004

Grace City Council discussed the problem of homes within the city being “egged.” Mayor Coombs was informed by the city attorney that the city’s ordinance against “malicious destruction of property” created a mechanism for charges to be brought against anyone discovered participating in said vandalism. The Soda Springs and Grace Chambers of Commerce met together to discuss shared strategies for economic development in the area.

The primary theme of the Caribou County Lincoln Day Banquet, held at the Senior Citizens Center in Soda Springs, was support for the re-election of President George W. Bush.

Senator Mike Crapo spoke at the dinner, thanking former senator Reed Budge of Soda Springs for showing him the ropes. Crapo spoke about the necessity of continuing the course with regard to the War on Terror, and tax relief through the “Bush Tax Cuts.”

Lt. Governor James Risch noted the large number of important senators who had come from the southeast Idaho area. The lunch was hosted by Monsanto and N.A. Degerstrom.

While in town for the Lincoln Day Dinner, Lt. Gov James Risch announced a program at Monsanto’s Soda Springs Plant for improving gun safety for long-haul truckers and other delivery personnel. The

program resulted from the increased security requirements put in place following 9/11. The rules would require guns checked at the safety gate at the entrance to Monsanto property to have functional gun locks, or else they would be provided to the gun owner for free.

The Soda Springs Women’s Civic Club met Tuesday afternoon at the Geyser View for a luncheon meeting. Husbands in attendance were Leonard Kingsford, Hans Sulik, and Lyle Peck. Kristie Godfrey and her 5 year old daughter McKinzi provided entertainement, with McKinzi singing and Kristie playing piano.

Jataya Harrison, Sam Shumway Holly Benson and Jaden Olson reported on Thirkill Thunderbird activities, including Valentine’s Day, Martin Luther King Junior Day, and the 100th Day of School celebration. They all played games because the got As on their spelling test.

30 Years Ago, 1994 Republican gubernatorial candidate Chuck Winder told the Caribou County Republican Committee at their luncheon that “Rights, reason, and renewal” were the issues facing Idaho voters in that year’s governor’s election. Winder called for the party to come together to make sure a Republican was elected to the state’s highest executive office following the decision of Cecil Andrus not to pursue re-election after a long career composed of two separate tenures on either side of John Evans’ governorship. The governorship had been in the hands of Democrats for the previous 24 years.

The Presbyterian Church will be holding its second annual soup luncheon in March. A nursery and light lunch were provided for pre-schoolers so that as many people as possible could attend the event, which was promoted as a great chance for members of the community to get together and catch up.

According to 4-H Assistant Diane Robbins, a group of 4-H “We the People” club students visited attended the annual “Know Your Government” Conference in Noise. Mazie Kukachka, Mindy Hubbard, Eric Hubbard, Kari Brown, and Melissa Young were among the Idaho 4-H members who learned how

Idaho’s state legislative and judicial systems work, and how teens can participate locally to influence state government. Supreme Court Justice Cathy Silak, Attorney General Larry Ecohawk, and Mike Simpson were among the guest speakers at the event.

Students at Thatcher Elementary were working hard on a school play taking on the eponymous ponderable “How the West Was Really Won.” The humorous look at the western history will feature a meditation on the county’s 100th anniversary, and the impact of historical figures Eliza Spalding, Buffalo Bill Cody, and others.

In the 5th and 6th grade boys basketball tournament, Chemstar defeated Kerr-McGee 38-21. Brock Lopez had 12 as the top scorer from Chemstar, while Kerr-McGee was led by C;ayton Short with 7. FMC defeated Bowman Chiropractic, with Daniel Lakey (13 points) and Luke Bowman (23 points) the top scorers from the respective teams. Rocky Mountain Carvings led by Cade White (18) beat Artic Circle fronted by Brody Gibson (9). Monsanto beat West One Bank, with Brian Vranes and Cody Harris the top scorers.

LaRae Rasmussen and Mary Ann Preece returned from a cruise out of Puerto Rico. They reported that the entertainment was excellent and the food was delicious.

40 Years Ago, 1984

Superintendent Lawrence Rigby stated that he was very pleased by the passage of the $1.1 million school bond, which passed 505-244, above the two-thirds majority required. The bond included a number of building projects and improvements, including additional classrooms and a central kitchen at Thirkill, and expanding the high school’s gym. Kent Lott was credited with organizing a telephone call effort to mobilize voters.

Caribou County approved a resolution to allow for the sale of wine on Sundays so that it could be sold by the glass with meals at restaurants in the county. County ordinances prohibited such sales on Sundays by default, and the issues had not really been raised until it was brought to the commission by Dean Checketts, David Mason, and Frank Chadwick. The change in law would not affect any businesses in the city, as city ordinances are separate from those that govern county properties and businesses.

The Soda Springs City Council had been unable to find an insurance company to underwrite a policy covering the use of ultralight aircraft at the airport. City Administrator Roy Rainey conveyed that the city’s insurance carrier had suggested contacting Lloyd’s of London for such a policy.

Ultimately, the city opted to forego allowing ultralight craft to use the airport rather than pursue the insurance policy.

of Trust executed by Quitclaim Deed executed by Joey S. Avila to Lawrence Osborn and Sarina Avila, recorded August 1, 2018 as Instrument No. 201346, as Grantor, to RYAN M. FAWCETT, a member of the Idaho State Bar, as Successor Trustee, and IDAHO CENTRAL CREDIT UNION, as Beneficiary, recorded August 17, 2018, as Instrument No. 201431, Mortgage records of Caribou County, Idaho. THE ABOVE GRANTOR IS NAMED TO COMPLY WITH SECTION 45-1506 (4)(a), IDAHO CODE. NO REPRESENTATION IS MADE THAT THEY ARE, OR ARE NOT, PRESENTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS OBLIGATION.

Said sale is a public auction for which the bid price must be paid immediately upon close of bidding by certified funds in the form of cashier’s checks, certified checks, or valid money orders only. If the Trustee is unable to convey title for any reason whatsoever, the successful bidder’s exclusive and sole remedy shall be the

It was reported that a potential still existed for spring flooding along the course of the Bear River. The snowpack was listed at 141 percent of normal, with warmer temperatures in the immediate forecast.

McGruff the Crime Dog visited classes in Grace to discuss issues such as vandalism and stranger danger with the students. In an accompanying picture we can’t reprint because we can’t verify who holds the rights to it, Letitia Wheeler, Ronett Perkins, and Tony Castro stand uncomfortably with the giant, be-trenchcoated anthropomorphic canine.

County Commission Report—Caribou County 2/26

Road and Bridge—Kevin McClain

Kevin McClain from the Road and Bridge department spoke to the commissioners about a number of issues.

The snowplow that had been repaired is back in service in Bancroft. Parts for a truck in Grace have also been located. Fuel has been draining out of one of the road graders. The nature of a potential leak is being investigated. The truck has been reported to be leaking fuel, and probably has a hole in the tank.

A location in Idaho Falls has been contacted about providing signs for the city, rather than their current company in Salt Lake. One of the new Kenworth vehicles has been inoperable due to problems with the electrical system. It is being evaluated with regard to the best way forward.

New “Entering Caribou County” signs are needed, as well as signage about county building requirements.

Money from the Forest Service projects has been received and placed in the account to a total of around $100K. A new sweeper is needed, and McClain estimated a range of $50K to $80K for a replacement.

The need for county right of way signage was discussed. The right of way is 25’ from the center of the road. Issues with vehicles parked in the right of way and interfering with snow removal vehicles have been occurring.

Road striping in Bancroft was discussed, with other roads in the county also being discussed for upcoming attention.

Sheriff—J Adam Mabey

The Sheriff reported that the front gate at the sheriff’s office has been repaired.

The new radio console at the office has been installed. The sheriff reported that the loss of cell phone connection had affected dispatch, but that the new radio setup would be able to account for such issues in the future.

The office is working at finding additional employees for the dispatch office.

The sheriff has discussed parking issues during the snow removal season with members of the community and his deputies. The sheriff’s Facebook page has information about pushing snow into county roads, and the regulations regarding snow on properties.

Building Maintenance—Rowdy

Larkins

Rowdy Larkins spoke to the commissioners about the roof bid for the EMS building, which needed to be signed.

Alsco was contacted about rug services for the county courthouse. A contract for rug services was discussed. The rugs are used to prevent wear and tear on the building’s carpet. A yearly contract will be about $1080. A motion to enter into a contract with Alsco for up to $2000/year for rug services was approved.

The five year inspection for the elevator took place. A valve is in need of replacement, and the oil needs to be changed. A proposal for that work will be forthcoming. The elevator is obsolete, which makes parts more difficult to locate.

Progress on the Event Center is delayed as the result of a backlog of projects on the part of the contractor. Funds for the Center need to be expended by November 6 in order to be secured. A remodel of the Fair building is also under discussion. It may not be possible to have the project completed before this year’s fair.

Larkins is waiting on updated plans for a shop in order to complete a building permit for the mines.

Vicki Yost—Solar Farm

Vicki Yost spoke to the commission about solar energy issues. Yost owns property in the county. A representative from the Samsung company presented information on behalf of the solar farm project. The company is expanding its area to include Idaho, Washington, and Oregon.

A 150 megawatt project is being proposed by Samsung for an area outside of Bancroft. 1,000 acres of land will be required for the project. Samsung was interested in obtaining a conditional use permit to allow for the construction of the project. Samsung claimed that a tax injection of about 1 million dollars a year, plus

additional benefits such as job creation, made compelling arguments for the project.

The commissioners raised the issues of fire fighting and environmental concerns. The company representative explained that the company would provide funding to local firefighting. The project will potentially total $150 million dollars.

Commissioner Bryce Somsen asked why Samsung was considering the land in question, as opposed to non-productive land. The Samsung representative explained some of the factors that had led to the area designation. It was also clarified that there would be a chainlink fence around the area.

Commissioner Somsen asked what the difference between a solar farm and an industrial zone would be. He also inquired about the kinds of jobs that would be created as a result of the project.

The project would last roughly 35 years.

Commissioner McCullough asked about the disposal of materials at the end of the project. The landfill in the county will not receive solar panels as a result of the hazardous material.

Commissioner Somsen asked about the other kinds of pollution that are associated with the solar farm. Samsung’s representative stated that most of the pollution would be the result of construction, and not the operation of the farm.

Solar farms are not supported by the county’s development plan. Allowing the solar farm would require a change in the county’s currently adopted comprehensive plan. Chairman Mathews suggested that he did not expect the county to change its comprehensive plan in the near future.

Samsung’s representative explained that the company did not expect anything to happen right away, but wanted to present the idea to the county for future consideration.

Further details about the projected tax revenue were desired.

Commissioner Somsen suggested that it would take potentially years to create a situation in which most of the county’s residents would support changing the comprehensive plan to allow for an industrial project on this scale. He explained that the comprehensive plan had just been reviewed, and found conclusively that residents of the county were opposed to changes on that order. Spot zoning, which would be the result under the current plan, was also something that the county would like to avoid.

The position of county residents with regard to the comprehensive plan was gained through a series of surveys, public meetings, and promotional materials.

Wade Yost spoke to the county about the location, which he called “high voltage lane”. He explained that the county prohibited the drilling of ag wells under a current moratorium. He felt that the potential for employment and apprentice training resulting from the project made it a good idea to pursue.

Vicki Yost commented that she was in favor of the creation of the solar farm, and that the county ordinance was confusing, in that the goals of the ordinance to reduce the energy needs and create jobs were not well met by restrictions against solar farms, which would provide more jobs and create a much more impactful energy supply. She suggested that providing opportunities for younger generations was essential to keeping people from leaving the county. Yost’s family is the owner of roughly half of the property that would be involved in the creation of the farm.

The commission stated that the current comprehensive plan would not be revisited in full for almost ten years. In the meantime, the plan could be changed by the county, but only with the incursion of considerable costs for the redrafting of the plan.

Reed Crandall—Utilities, Internet

Reed Crandall spoke to the commission about granting his application for the placement of an antenna for broadcasting high speed internet. Crandall claims he would provide high-speed internet services for a low cost. A physical location would be established near Lund and Barfuss

roads. Crandall had received permission for the project from both the previous and current Road and Bridge supervisor. A 17” antenna will be placed on a power pole in the area to broadcast wireless signals. Neighbors have agreed that the structure would not obstruct their view, according to Crandall. Other power poles in the area are taller than the one being proposed. Residents signed paperwork about having been spoken to on the matter.

Code 13.48.360 is the code in question. It covers tower structures being built in the right of way within the county.

Michelle Martin spoke to the commission about the issue. She stated that the proposal leaves ambiguity about what else might be added to the plan. For instance, the potential for additional antennas would potentially affect the view, in violation of the comprehensive plan. She asked that the county not rush through the process, and make it as transparent as possible. She also suggested that any conditional use permit should stipulate that nothing else could be added to the project.

Chairman Mathews explained that the permit was not in compliance, as it had not gone through the proper planning and zoning procedure. Commissioner Somsen clarified that limitations could be put on the application to limit the project to the one antenna.

The next step is that P and Z will meet on the subject, and provide the board of county commissioners with a recommendation for approval or rejection.

Aaron Cook—Property Software Assessor Aaron Cook spoke with the commission about the county’s contract with its property software company, Computer Arts. There are other options for similar systems. Currently, the county pays $10K a year. Prices for the alternatives are significantly higher. The state will not offer any cheaper options for counties for at least several years. Other counties are also looking for an alternative. Treasurer Angie Mendenhall reported that it was clear a new system would be needed down the road, but that Caribou should wait to see what develops.

Eric Hobson and Nellie Askew— Natural Resource Plan

Hobson and Askew have been doing research on a Natural Resource Plan. The process will involve hosting a stakeholder meeting in March, then presenting a plan to the commission for adoption. The plan outlines the governance of state and federal land to make sure their actions also help the county and follow county ordinances. According to other counties who have put such a plan in place it can have a positive effect on limiting the actions of state and federal entities that affect the county.

One of the big elements of the plan is a report on the goals of the county and stakeholders. They are hoping for a plan and adoption by the end of May.

Ally Schwulst—GIS Updates

Schwulst reported on the progress of the GIS (Geographic Information System) program, which maintains a map of county residences as well as other information. This helps the 911 emergency service share information with the county, establish property boundaries, and provide a dynamic database of coordinated information throughout the county.

Some software issues with the GIS system have been creating problems, which Schwulst Spoke to the commissioners about. She asked the commissioners what an acceptable price would be for contracting software support services about rectifying the software issues. Teton County reportedly stated that they had dropped the same software suite—Enterprise—for similar problems.

Chairman Mathews asked Schwulst for a proposal regarding a switch to another software program. Commissioner Somsen stated that she should move forward with whatever would be most likely to correct the issues. Schwulst asked about when the appropriate time to discuss a job title change would be. The commissioners suggested that the budget time was best.

Justin Steele—Juvenile Correction

Justin Steele from Juvenile Corrections and Stace Gearhart from the State of Idaho District 6 Juvenile Corrections Department presented an annual report to the commission. Over the year, figures for juvenile probation in the county were in line with those of previous years, and generally lower than the averages for other Idaho counties.

Diversion was explained by Attorney Doug Wood. It is a contract between the prosecutor’s office, where certain terms being met allow the charges to be dismissed. Wood doesn’t offer a second diversion, but he has found the process to be successful.

Clerk Jill Stoor

Stoor reported that District Judge Cody Brower had hired an applicant for the law clerk position with the District Judge’s office.

The pathology agreement between Caribou County and the new Eastern Idaho forensics Center was presented for review. The Commission approved a motion to enter into an agreement with the Center.

LaserFiche, a digital document management software suite, went down for several days. Costs for the program have increased. An upgrade to the system and its licensing have been undertaken. The contract was ratified for the update for $4,859.60.

April 3, a meeting with Board of Equalization training will be held at the Fire Station. Bear Lake, Bannock, Franklin, and Oneida will be attending.

On May 3, County Officials Institute will meet at the Bonneville County Elections Center.

Busy Scouting Season

In addition to visiting with the EMS crew, the Scouts—Boy, Girl, and Cub—got up to a lot of other activities recently.

The Boy Scouts worked on their Paul Bunyan activities with leaders Mike Nalley and Chris Guedes.

The Girl Scouts study bicycle maintenance and safety.

Proper axe handling is a part of the Paul Bunyan checklist.

Cub Scouts built table top rockets, and exploding sticks.

SENIOR CITIZENS’ CORNER March 2024

March is National Nutrition Month

March is recognized as National Nutrition Month, where we celebrate the importance of healthy eating. If you eat the same thing every single day, your body may be lacking nutrients that you can get from other types of food. By celebrating a world of flavors, you can add variety to your diet and reap the benefits of having a well-rounded nutrient intake!

Here are a few tips to add more variety to your daily diet:

Try a new fruit or veggie: Choose 1-2 new fruits and veggies to try each week. You don’t have to consume fresh produce - fill your freezer with frozen veggies and fruit or try canned - just make sure to rinse before consuming to rid the salt!

• Spice up your meals with new flavors: Spice up your meal with a new flavor.

Many spices and dried herbs provide anti-inflammatory properties, which can help with inflammation and even balance blood sugar.

• Vary your protein: Lean meat, poultry, eggs, seafood, nuts, beans, peas, and lentils are great protein sources to add to your meals. When you vary your protein intake, you get a variety of nutrients and essential amino acids, which are the building blocks for many of the body’s processes!

• Mix up your grains: Brown rice, quinoa, whole wheat sourdough bread, English muffins, and whole grain pastas are great to try! Be sure to make at least ½ your week whole grains instead of white or refined grains.

My Plate is a free website that offers a number of services, reach out to your site manager or dietitian if you have any questions.

Be sure to get a “full plate” with every meal (information listed on image)

• Estimated calorie needs

• Recipes

• Healthy habits & Exercise

Seasonal Foods in March?

• Avocados

• Citrus - lemons, limes, oranges, etc.

• Asparagus

• Pineapples

Chicken and Cauliflower Sheet Pan Bake

INGREDIENTS

2 small heads cauliflower, cut into 1-inch florets

¼ cup + 2 teaspoons avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil, divided

4 boneless skin-on chicken breasts

4 sprigs fresh thyme

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.

½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

1 tablespoon unsalted butter Zest from 1 lemon

3 tablespoons toasted pine-nuts

1 tablespoon lemon juice Kosher salt & pepper

2. On a large 10x15 or 12x18 sheet pan or large 9x12 baking pan, toss the cauliflower with ¼ cup avocado oil and ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper. Spread the cauliflower out into an even layer, add the fresh thyme sprigs, and roast for 25 minutes on the bottom rack, tossing every 10 minutes to help the cauliflower evenly brown.

3. While the cauliflower roasts, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Rub the skins of the chicken with the 2 teaspoons oil and sprinkle with a few pinches each of salt and pepper. Place the chicken skin-side down on the hot pan and cook until the skin is golden brown and crispy, 5-7 minutes.

4 Pull the cauliflower out of the oven and toss with parmesan, butter, and lemon zest. Nestle the chicken into the cauliflower so it rests on the bottom of the pan with cauliflower all around. Return the pan to the oven and roast for 2025 minutes longer until the chicken registers 165°F.

CARIBOU COUNTY SENIOR CITIZENS' MENU

Every Meal Served with Juice/Milk/Coffee

March 1 - Taco Soup, Strawberry Spinach Salad, Cornbread, Pineapple Dream Cheesecake

March 6 - Pork Roast, Mashed Potatoes, Grapes, Sourdough Bread, Caramel Cake

March 8 - Birthday Dinner, French Dip Sandwiches, Chips, Broccoli Salad, Birthday Cake & Ice Cream(Dine In Only)

March 13 - Chicken Pot Pie, Pineapple & Mandarins, Pecan Pie

March 15 - Corned Beef w/Cabbage, Red Potatoes, Kiwi, Dilly Bread, St. Patrick’s Cake

March 20 - Chicken Noodle Soup w/ Mashed Potatoes, Oranges, Wheat Bread, Dessert

March 22 - Swiss Steak, Baked Potato, Summer Squash, Mixed Fruit, Wheat Bread, Cooks Choice Dessert

March 27 - Lemon Chicken w/Wild Rice, California Veggies, Peaches, Potato Bread, Walnut Coffee Cake

March 29 - Easter Dinner, Potatoes, Glazed Carrots, Apples, Carrot Cake

War on Weeds—Weeds are Everybody’s Problem

THE ISSUE: Jointed Goatgrass

Jointed goatgrass (Aegilops cylindrica) is a winter annual grass, native to western Europe and southern Asia. It was most likely introduced into the United States as a contaminate in winter wheat seed. This grass species is closely related to wheat, when young it is difficult to distinguish between the two. Jointed goatgrass easily invades cereal grain cropping systems, especially when crop rotation options are limited.

Jointed goatgrass leaves are up to ½” wide, up to 6” long, and have fine hairs evenly spaced along the edges. The foliage is deep blue green in color. Prior to seed production plants lay close to the ground. Seeds are produced on cylindrical spikes that are tapered towards the top. It gets its name from the “jointed” appearance of the spike. When the seed head reaches maturity, it breaks into segments. Jointed goatgrass is a major

contaminate of wheat, the seeds are about the same size and weight making them difficult to separate.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Options:

Prevention— Learn to identify this plant. Never transport unknown plant material. Always plant clean seed!

Mechanical—A moldboard plow can effectively bury seeds, but it can also bring other seeds to the surface. Mowing roadsides and no-crop areas before seed is produced can limit seed production.

Cultural— incorporating a broadleaf crop in the crop rotation is an effective way to reduce the Jointed Goatgrass population.

Chemical—Glyphosate and other non-selective herbicides can be used during fallow years or after harvest. Once wheat has emerged there are not a lot of options unless a Clearfield variety has been planted. Clearfield varieties are resistant to the herbicide

Music Scholarship and Call for Donations Announced

Burgoyne Studios announces the 2nd annual Dr. Roger D. Burgoyne Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship will furnish private music lessons at Burgoyne Studios in Soda Springs for one student for one year. Last year’s donations funded a full scholarship for Ian Crofts, son of Joseph and Katie Crofts of Lago, and a ½ scholarship for Jenny Smith of Soda Springs.

The studio is seeking donations for the 2024-2025 school year. The scholarship winner must have studied at Burgoyne Studios for at least one year. In addition, they must demonstrate commitment and a good attitude and genuine interest in their studies. Some consideration will be given for need.

The scholarship was created in

memory of instructor Kathleen Campbell’s late father, Dr. Roger D. Burgoyne (1926-2014). He was a talented and gifted musician and encouraged the development of talent in others.

A tax exempt donation may be made to the scholarship fund by writing a check to the Caribou County Community Choir and Orchestra Association with Dr. RDB in the “for” field. Address the envelope to:

Attention Chairman Wade Olorenshaw

Dr. Roger D. Burgoyne

Scholarship Fund

1930 Ivins Road

Bancroft Idaho 83217

A non-tax exempt donation may be made by Venmo to KathleenBCampbell.

Imazamox (Beyond), allowing Jointed goatgrass to be sprayed without harming the crop. Always read and follow herbicide label directions.

Justin Hatch, University of Idaho Extension Agriculture Educator in Caribou and Bear Lake Counties. 208547-3205 JLHatch@uidaho.edu

Photo courtesy of Steve Dewey, Utah State University, Bugwood.org

Myken Rindlisbaker represented the North Gem FFA Chapter in the Employability Skills Career Development Event at the District level at Grace High School. Through this competition she developed, practiced and demonstrated skills needed to seek employment in the agricultural industry. As a part of this experience she created a cover letter and a resume, as well as, developing skills to present herself in a job interview. Myken placed third in the Southeastern Idaho District.

Ian Crofts received a full scholarship. Jenny Smith received a ½ scholarship.

Grace season comes to an end Cowboys Fall Short of State

Jody Reeves

Every time these two teams meet things get interesting. In addition to the battles on the court, you have the intense rivalry that the two fanbases bring with them. As the first game got going it was clear that both teams were going to focus on defense. The Butte full court press caused a few problems early on for the Grizz, but turnabout is fair play and the Grizz pressed back. The scoring was few and far between in the first. The Grizzlies showed great aggression but needed to be careful as they would end the quarter with six different players having one foul each.

The score after one was tied at just nine points a piece. In the second, the teams would go back and forth with little success early. The Grizzlies seemed to have figured out the Pirate press and were moving the ball down the court well and getting some good looks at easy buckets. Butte County looked visibly flustered for possibly the first time this year in these matchups. Butte would take a timeout after a little run by the Grizzlies. The timeout worked for the Pirates as they now had the Grizzlies a little out of sorts; however, as the half was ending Sorenson would get a great offensive rebound and put back at the buzzer maintaining the Grizz five point lead at 20-15.

During the second, several Grizzlies did pick up a second foul but fortunately none added a third. Starting off the third quarter the Grizzlies looked really good as they were playing with a renewed purpose and jumped out to a 27-16 lead, forcing the Pirates to call a timeout just one and a half minutes in. Once again the timeout worked for the Pirates as they would then go on a 5-0 run closing the gap. Grace would call a timeout a short time later at about the midway point of the quarter with a 29-21 lead. The pace and the scoring would seem to pick up from there and the third would end with Grace leading 34-25.

Starting off the fourth the teams would begin by trading baskets before Butte would close the gap and eventually tie the game. The Grizzlies had missed four consecutive three point attempts before Lloyd finally put one in. That would be part of a Grace 8-0 run and Butte would call a timeout at the 2:46 mark. From there the Grizzly scoring would slow and Butte would once again close the gap to just a single point with just under one minute left. Joe Clegg who had played hard but had failed to score would finally put a basket in, taking the Grizzly lead back to three points. With 31 seconds left Butte would call the first of what would be four timeouts between the two teams to finish

the game. After all the maneuvering and strategies, Butte would attempt a deep well-contested three that would miss and Grace would rebound. The time would expire before Grace ever had to shoot and the Grizzlies would win 50-47. Scoring went as follows K. Clegg-18, Lloyd-10, Sorenson-9, Kimball-5, Jorgensen-3, C.Smith-3, J. Clegg-2.

With the win, Grace would force the if-necessary game taking them to a true championship. The winner of this final matchup of the season would get their ticket to state while the loser would see their season come to an end. Once again the teams would meet at the neutral sight of Thunder Ridge High School. As this one got underway, things would not go the Grizzlies way. Grace would have several good looks at the basket but the invisible gremlin on the rim seemed to pull every shot out. This caused some frustration to the Grizzlies and even with a timeout and pep talk from the coaching staff Grace would end the quarter down 17-5.

The second period wouldn’t go much better for Grace as they would continue to have miscues and everything seemed to bounce in favor of the Pirates. The Grizz would see some foul trouble but finally put some baskets in. With halftime at hand Grace would still trail 32-20.

In the third quarter, Grace would give themselves a chance to get back into the game as they would close the gap and finish the quarter down 45-40.

The fourth would start with Butte coming out and scoring a quick five points pushing the lead back to ten. Grace would struggle to stay out of foul trouble and two of their starters would foul out. The Grizzlies would not be able to get over that eight to ten point deficit and when the final buzzer sounded Grace would fall short losing 63-54. For the six Grace seniors, their high school careers were over but they can hold their heads high as they fought all season and had some big wins. With strong junior and sophomore classes Grace will look to come back next season and once again contend for a district title.

Scoring for Grace K. Clegg-22, Sorenson-10, Jorgensen-8, C. Smith-6, Kimball-5, Lloyd-2, J. Clegg-1

Cardinal and Grizzly Players Make All Tournament Teams

Caribou

at the recent

tournament. For the Cardinals Jinettie Garbett was selected to the 1st Team while Abby Goodin made Honorable Mention. For the Grizzlies Melodie Straatman would make

Jody Reeves

North Gem played for third place in the Rocky Mountain Conference last Wednesday. The Cowboys hosted the Mustangs from Leadore. The Cowboys got off to a hot start, grabbing an 11-0 early lead. As the first quarter wound down, Leadore would do their best to get into the game and the first would end with North Gem leading 16-10. In the second, the hot Cowboy offense would slow down a little and the Mustangs would make some big shots as the lead would be cut to just three. The lead would hang around three points when at the halftime buzzer the Cowboys would hit a jumper and take a 27-22 lead into the locker room.

In the third the Mustangs outrebounded the Cowboys but the North Gem offense would pick back up. The concern now was with the foul trouble that Yost and Setser faced as the Cowboys leading ball handlers. The quarter would end with North Gem leading 45-36. The foul trouble would continue for the Cowboys and the game would get a little sloppy by both teams. About halfway through the fourth the Cowboys would once again turn on the offense and their lead would continue to extend. After several made foul shots and a three point shot late in the game the Cowboys would come out victorious winning 65-46. With the victory, North Gem would clinch the third place spot in the conference earning them the chance to go to a play-in game that could take them to state. With the conference win, the Cowboys would now take the 370 mile trip to Cascade to take part in a playin game for the right to go to the state tournament. Their opponent in this contest was the Clark Fork Wampus Cats. Clark Fork are the winners from the North Star league and came into the contest with a 12-6 record. As things got underway both teams started off a little slow offensively. North Gem struggled from the outside shooting and the Clark Fork size inside limited the Cowboy production under the basket. The scoring was tight at the end of the first with a score of 11-9 in favor of the Wampus Cats. The Cowboys would come out in the second and hit a quick three point shot and temporarily take the lead. The score would continue to stay close throughout the second. With less than one minute left in the quarter Clark Fork would score seven points and take a 30-21 lead into the half.

The Wampus Cats would take that momentum into the third. With some Cowboy mistakes combined with hot shooting the Wampus Cats would extend the lead to fourteen. The Cowboys would settle things down a little in the later part of the quarter but would enter the fourth still trailing 42-32. The fourth quarter would be disastrous for the Cowboy offense. With the Clark Fork advantage in size and the cold outside shooting of the Cowboys the deficit would increase. With under three minutes left in the game Cark Fork would begin to work the clock making it increasingly harder for a Cowboy comeback. When North Gem would get offensive opportunities they would rush and force some ill advised shots. With time winding down it became evident that the Cowboys would come up short in this one. North Gem would finish the game by subbing in all of their senior players giving them one last opportunity to wear the Cowboy uniform. As the final buzzer sounded North Gem would be defeated 60-37. The seniors were able to finish their careers on the court and can look back on their time with fondness.

North Gem Players named to All-conference Team; Corta Named Player of the Year

Hayden Corta of North Gem was named the Conference Player of the Year for 2023-2024 by the Rocky Mountain Conference. She named her season’s highlights as “getting my first triple double against Rockland, pulling off an awesome win against Grace Lutheran in Districts in Post, getting to play a bit of post, and

just getting to play the sport I love.” Upon further reflection, Corta added “reaching 1000 points was awesome, and this team got along really well and had a blast together!”

Samantha Yost was named an Honorable Mention to this year’s All-Conference Teams. Congratulations to both!

2nd Team while Jacie Christensen was selected to 1st Team. Additionally Tessica Jorgensen was given the 6th man award for the tournament and Sydnee Smith received the tournament Most Valuable Player award.

Hayden Corta was named Rocky Mountain Conference Player of the Year, and Samantha Yost was named as an Honorable Mention.

Photo Credit: Michalene Rindlisbaker

County was represented well

girls state basketball

Evan O'Brien jumps for the Cowboys at the tipoff against Leadore.

Brennon Sorensen looks to drive in the district championship game.

Amazing Grace

Jody Reeves

The Grizzlies sent a total of nine wrestlers to the state tournament this past weekend. Of the nine, two were girls participating in the fastest growing sport for girls in the nation. Bella Eddins wrestled in her first ever state tournament and represented Caribou County well. Bella would win her first match then come up short in her next two and be eliminated. Josie Newby would be the other girl from Grace competing. Josie had a very good season and was expected to compete well. Unfortunately for Josie she would get ill during the week before state. Still not back to 100% she still competed when some may have dropped out. Josie would lose her first two matches and be eliminated. Both girls will undoubtedly work to return to state next season.

Of their seven boys competing Grace placed five on the podium. The non-placers were Jayden Lunt and Brett Hobbs. Lunt had entered state on a wildcard after just missing placing high enough during districts. Lunt’s time at state would be short as he would lose his first two matches and be eliminated. Hobbs would battle hard and go all three rounds in his two matches but would fall short and be eliminated.

Cael Newby wrestled in the 106 pound weight bracket. Newby would end up taking the long road to the fifth place match where he would win, claiming his spot on the podium and finishing with a state record of 4-2.

Jack Eddins wrestled in the 138 pound weight class for the Grizzlies. Jack won his first match by fall, and from there would go on an improbable run. In his second match Jack faced the number one seeded wrestler, who is nationally ranked. At the end of the second period it appeared as though Jack may lose by technical fall as the score flashed 15-0. That is when Coach Jorgensen stepped in and helped correct a fault in the scoring. The match entered the final round at 14-0. During that final round Jack scored a couple of points but still looked destined to lose until the other wrestler made a misstep and Jack capitalized and pinned his opponent. It is very likely that was the biggest upset of the tournament, but Jack wasn’t finished. He went to the next round with similar results. Trailing against a wrestler he had never beaten, Jack once again pinned his opponent late in the match, moving him to the championship match. There Jack would once again be trailing when he got his opponent in a cradle and appeared to be set for yet another upset. However the ref didn’t see it that way and time would run out for Jack as he would lose in a tight decision 8-7 and claim second place.

Kole Younger represented Grace in the 98 pound weight class. Kole dominated in his first three matches, winning by a fall and two major decisions. Kole entered the championship match with confidence. Kole would control most of the match and when the time ran out he found himself up 11-7 and claimed a state championship.

At 113 pounds Grace had returning state champ Carter Kimball. Carter was the favorite to win state going into the tournament, but they don’t just hand out championships. This wouldn’t bother Carter at all as he would roll through his opponents making it back to the championship round. In the final Carter would be in complete control and end the season with a pin and a state championship. Carter made it through the entire tournament without allowing a single

point to be scored against him.

The Grizzlies final wrestler to compete was be Wyatt Cutler at 170 pounds. Wyatt was also heavily favored to win his second consecutive state title. Wyatt started off by winning by technical fall 21-5 before pinning his next two opponents. Wyatt had made it back to the championship round. In the match for the first minute the wrestlers would circle the mat sizing each other up. With some coaxing by the official for some action, Wyatt finally took a shot on his opponent. It appeared as though he would have a takedown and score the first two points, however as the wrestlers went to the ground he landed hard and the referee determined the move to be an illegal slam. Everyone watching waited to see if the other wrestler would get up and continue. Unfortunately, he would not as he was deemed too injured to continue. As a result Wyatt’s dreams of being a two time state champion were dashed as he was disqualified for the illegal move and would have to settle for second place. Visibly upset Wyatt would leave the mat in a hurry eventually find himself sitting on the astroturf ground behind the spectators watching the action still taking place on center stage. That is where his coaches found him still visibly upset and distraught. Several of his fellow competitors would stop in passing and try to give words of encouragement but many would not be able to understand his feelings at that moment.

Some that might be able to were a few of his friends who were also on the varsity basketball team. They had, like Wyatt, seen their senior season come to an abrupt end less than twenty-four hours earlier. They each filed past Wyatt giving him their support. Perhaps the most remarkable sight was that of Coach Newby, who through all of this stood straight up next to Wyatt looking very stoic. It was a great visual example of a coach standing by their pupil ready to lead and guide them through a difficult time. I am sure there was much more said between them but all the public got to see was coach Newby ask Wyatt if he was ready and the two walked to the awards stand to collect Wyatt’s second place medal.

When you come from a school named Grace it is inevitable that you will have several articles titled Amazing Grace. Most would refer to a great accomplishment made by a sports team and that could apply here with the great placings of the individual wrestlers as well as the team claiming its fourth top scoring 1A school award. However, in this case the “Amazing” part wasn’t about sports at all. It was about the support shown by the Grace community both in triumph as well as defeat. Proving that the Grizzly faithful truly are Amazing Grace.

Bowen Shines At State

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his opponent before. Bowen would once again dominate his opponent and complete the three-peat winning by technical fall 18-3. As that final whistle blew Tucker would immediately jump up and run to the edge of the mat.

Many in attendance did not understand where he was going or what he was doing. You see, when Tucker was a freshman just starting out his high school wrestling career he was matched up in a tournament with a wrestler named Lucas. Lucas is from Bear Lake and has special needs. During that match Tucker could have easily won in very little time but understanding the situation Tucker made the match go for the full three rounds. When the match ended, Tucker had a request for the ref. He asked if the referee would please raise both wrestlers’ hands when indicating who won. From there a special bond developed between Tucker and Lucas. Anytime the two friends were at the same wrestling meet the two would

wrestle each other. This continued each year even as they moved into completely separate weight classes.

In the spring of 2023 Lucas would graduate and Tucker would spend his final season without being able to wrestle his friend Lucas. The two friends had only briefly seen one another on a few occasions since last season. That all changed this past weekend when somehow in the mass of humanity that filled the ICCU Arena Lucas spotted his friend Tucker. After catching up ,Tucker made the decision that he would love to share his final high school title with his buddy Lucas. So when Tucker ran to the edge of the mat immediately following the ref’s whistle it was to signal Lucas to come join him. Tucker had completed his goal of winning a third state title. However, as the two young men stood on the mat together with their hands raised high the only title Lucas cared to give Tucker was that of friend.

Bowen just minutes away from his third straight state championship.

Wyatt Cutler going for the pin in his semi-final match.

Coach Newby celebrates with Carter Kimball after his championship win as Coach Anderson looks on.

State champion Kole Younger with Coach Newby at the awards podium.

Jack Eddins having his hand raised after his semi-final win.