NEWS IN BRIEF
There’s no way to deny it any longer…fall is officially here to stay. Despite some warm daytime highs over the last couple weeks, the nightly lows are impossible to ignore, and the many of the area’s leaves are already starting their turn to the colorful. This year’s Fall Festival event at downtown City Park in Soda Springs celebrated the changing of the season with a mixture of activities, games, vendors, and company.
Chelsey Davids, City employee and one of the organizers of the event, explained that due to the construction project on Main street, the event was relocated to the city park. In some ways, though, the change may have been fortuitous. “I don’t think we would have been able to fit all of the vendors on Main Street,” she said.
Along with retail vendors of art, jewelry, clothing, accessories, health and beauty products, bird houses, and many other items, the total of more than 40 booths included the Citizens for Soda Springs School District Bond group, the Center for Hope South, EF Student Travelers of Caribou County, a Fun Run motorcycle ride to raise funds for school lunches, and much more.
“It’s a perfect day,” Davids said. “The weather has been amazing, and things have gone great!” Bouncy slides were set up for the kids, supervised by students raising money for prom, and at the other end of the spectrum, a beer garden set up was hosted by Stockman’s at the end of the food truck line.
Hope Hansen, in addition to her job as the Library Di-
Hope Hansen was on hand to collect donations for “Cuddle Bear” books and teddy bears for the Caribou Medical Center in support of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, which many local schools and organizations have been recognizing throughout September. The books and bears will be delivered to the hospital sometime during October.
Local historian and Caribou Historical Society member Bill Horsley was on site selling a variety of hand-
FALL FESTIVAL
On Page 2
Randy’L Teton to visit Soda Springs Library October 7
Randy’L Teton is someone you’ve seen before, even if you didn’t know it. Teton is undoubtedly most famous as the model used by the U.S. Mint as the basis for the Sacajawea Gold Dollar, which was first issued in the year 2000 to commemorate the Corps of Discovery led by Lewis and Clark, and guided by Shoshone girl Sacajawea. The coin also celebrates the importance of Native American history as a component of the history of the country as whole. She is the youngest and only living coin model on official U.S. currency.
Teton was studying Art History and Native American Studies at the University of New Mexico in Santa Fe when she was approached by sculptor Glenna Goodacre to serve as a model for the coin design, as no portrait from the time exists. Goodacre selected Teton, whose mother was an employee at the Institute of American Indian Arts Museum.
During the rollout of the coin at the turn of the millennium, Teton toured the country promoting it and the cause of Native American education. She remarked that “the image doesn’t represent me, it represents all Native American women. All women have the dignity of the Golden Dollar’s image.”
Teton is enrolled with Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of Fort Hall, and has recently written a children’s graphic novel titled “It’s Her Story: Sacajawea,” which recounts the young guide’s journey from a tribal perspective. The book is illustrated by Aly McKnight, also enrolled in the Shoshone-Bannock Tribe. The book is part of the “It’s Her Story” series, which presents the biographies of many women who have left an indelible mark on history. Teton has stated that this is a project she has long been interested in, and hopes to one day get the book into all the classrooms in Idaho. One of the major reasons she believes the book is necessary is that while the overall story of Lewis and Clark’s journey is fairly well-known on some level by students in American schools, Sacajawea’s own story, and the story of the Shoshone tribes, is only vaguely sketched out for most.
She will be sharing some of the stories she has gathered
from elders and other sources, including her time at the Fort Hall Tribal Museum over the years.
The book was officially released on September 21, and is widely available on retail sites such as Amazon, and will of course be on hand at the library. The book can be ordered on randylteton.com as well, which directly supports the author. Teton will be speaking at the library from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Monday, October 7, and then answering questions from the audience afterward. Teton will be signing books and posters, and refreshments will be provided by Caribou Medical Center.
“This is going to be a really great event,” Library Director Hope Hansen said at the most recent City Council meeting. “We’re really lucky to have this in town, and I can’t wait!”
Kris Kristofferson dead at 88 Kris Kristofferson, a country music superstar and Hollywood actor, has died. Kristofferson died at his home in Maui, Hawaii on Saturday according to family spokeswoman Ebie McFarland. Kristofferson was a singer, but many of his songs were performed by others including “For the Good Times” and “Me and Bobby McGee”. He starred opposite Ellen Burstyn in the 1974 film “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore”, starred opposite Barbra Streisand in the 1976 “A Star is Born”, and Wesley Snipes in “Blade”. Kristofferson alongside Willie Nelson, John Prine, and Tom T. Hall represented a new era of country singers. Nelson said in a 2009 award ceremony for Kristofferson, “There’s no better songwriter alive than Kris Kristofferson… Everything he writes is a standard and we’re all just going to have to live with that.” According to East Idaho News, he was a Golden Gloves boxer and football player in college. He received a masters degree in English from Merton College at the University of Oxford in England. He later turned down teaching at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York. He instead chose to pursue songwriting in Nashville. Some of Kristofferson’s hit songs include “Why Me,” “Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I’ll Ever Do),” “Watch Closely Now,” “Desperados Waiting for a Train,” “A Song I’d Like to Sing” and “Jesus Was a Capricorn.” In 1973 he married fellow songwriter Rita Coolidge; they later divorced in 1980. He retired from performing and recording in 2021. Thousands told to stay home after chemical plant fire
Thousands of people were told to stay home with their windows closed after a fire at a Georgia industrial plant caused a chemical reaction and released potentially harmful chlorine in the air. Businesses and residents were told to evacuate in nearby areas around the BioLab plant. A shelter-in-place advisory is ongoing for over 90,000 people in surrounding Rockdale County. The plume from the chemical reaction could be seen for miles. Officials advised to close windows and turn air conditioners off. According to CNN, air quality surveys “revealed the harmful irritant chlorine” coming from the facility. Exposure to chlorine can cause burning eyes, nose and mouth. It can also cause nausea, coughing, choking, vomiting, headaches, and dizziness. Nearby counties have also reported the smell of bleach or chemicals in the air. The fire started on the roof around 5:00 a.m.. Firefighters were able to contain the fire but it reignited hours later, Rockdale County Sheriff Eric Levett said. The fire was extinguished around 4:00 p.m. but the roof later collapsed.
Former ISU football coach pleads guilty to murder
DaVonte’ Neal was the assistant coach for the Bengals when he was indicted and arrested in 2022 for the 2017 shooting death of Bryan Burns. Neal pled guilty to second-degree murder after he was initially charged for first-degree murder according to Maricopa County Court records. He will be sentenced on October 4th, 2024. According to previous Statesman reporting, Neal was also charged with drive-by shooting and discharge of a weapon at a structure.
Photo by Shuttergirl Photography, Micha Wixom
The weather was perfect for a fall time gathering in the city park in downtown Soda Springs. Fall Festival was moved to the park due to construction.
rector
Chief Scott Shaw and Mayor Austin Robinson chat during the Fall Festival on Saturday.
Fall Festival
crafted birdhouses, which he has been crafting and decided to bring down to the Festival.
The motorcycle Fun Run was organized by Jeremy Peace, and riders collected donations from various locations along the route to use toward paying off lunch balances for local students. Food insecurity can be a major issue for families everywhere, but as much as possible the goal was to make school a place where that would not have to be an issue.
The Citizens for Soda Springs
School District Bond is composed of a number of local parents who support the bond to build a new high school to replace the current building, as reported in last week’s paper.
The group is not directly affiliated with the school district, although many of its members work for or have worked for local schools, and many have also attended those schools as well. Alexis Ericsson related a number of stories about facilities issues at the current school building, as did other members of the group who were in the park to help share their message. The group can be found on Facebook and Ins-
tagram under the name Citizens for Soda Springs School District Bond.
Mark Kirby can be reached at 208-339-2597 for more information as well.
EF Student Travelers of Caribou County was organized by Courtney Stanley this year, and was in the park to help raise funds for students to participate in an upcoming educational tour to France, Germany, and Switzerland during the next Spring Break.
Erika Dannelly, representing Caribou Medical Center, was also enjoying the weather and not promoting anything specific on Saturday,
although there are plans in October to re-imagine the traditional Breast Cancer Brake for Breakfast event as a breakfast during which the public could meet with providers and have a discussion along with their breakfast. More details will be forthcoming as the event gets finalized.
Music was a backdrop to the day’s events, and led into the night-time dance that took place in the park in the cooling, but still perfectly pleasant weather.
All in all, the Fall Festival event was fitting to the time of year— thoughtful, mild-mannered, fun, and with a bit of a fall snap.
continued from front page
Craftsman Bill Horsley and some of his handcrafted birdhouses.
Center For Hope South spent a nice Saturday in the park.
Erika Dannelly with Caribou Medical Center.
Courtney Stanley and Owen Miller raise money for educational tours of Europe next spring break.
Afton Marowelli had brisk sales throughout the day with her Baked Fresh Sourdough table.
Hope Hansen took time out of her librarian duties to...talk about books with kids!
Members of the Citizens group in support of the school bond: Paulette Ericsson, Alexis Ericsson, Alisa Miller, Shari Vedder, Mark Kirby.
There were more than 40 vendors at this years Fall Festival.
Caribou County Board of Commissioners September 30
A regular meeting of the Board of County Commissioners was held on September 30. The minutes and payroll claims were approved. Among the issues discussed by commissioners were IDAWY Landfill rates, the state-mandated Ag Protection Area Ordinance, and various city projects affecting the county.
Road and Bridge
Bids for AC machines have been received. A mobile version was quoted at $1,741, while other options were determined to be more expensive. Road and Bridge recommended the mobile version.
The M series grader was reported to be close to 10K hours, and starting to “show its age.” It’s having some running issues. It has been pushed back to the shop once, and has a low idle. It uses oil pressure to drive the injectors. The pressure-control solenoid may be having some problems. Some of the injectors are also probably due for replacement. The parts cost were estimated at $8-10K. Right now, RB won’t be able to get to the repairs soon, and it will need to be sent into CAT for a “midlife” overhaul. It is one of the graders that is not six wheel drive. The sales rep does have two graders available, if the county decides not to invest money into a machine that is aged and for which there is a chance that the repair costs won’t be recouped within the machine’s life. The commissioners requested numbers for the various options before they went forward.
Two DPFs have been replaced on a couple of semis. There is possibly another one that might need it.
A system for tracking the county’s vehicle maintenance schedules was discussed.
Routes for winter snowplowing were discussed, including sections that potentially overlap with Bonneville county. A turnaround will potentially need to be established in order to service some of the areas. Snow removal payments go directly into Road and Bridge.
The Long Valley road has been reported to be in need of grading. It is reported to be rough at the moment.
Commissioner Somsen asked whether the department had heard of the CAT buy-back program that some counties have reportedly been using. Taylor said he would run it past Kevin McClain.
A recent retirement from the Road and Bridge department, as well as the recent passing of Tracy Josephson, will necessitate hiring by the department to return to full staffing.
Sheriff’s Report
Sheriff Adam Mabey spoke to the commissioners about a number of issues.
The sheriff stated that several ordinances he has been working on have been given to Attorney Wood for review.
Mabey reported that Dispatch is down one employee, and a potential new hire has withdrawn from consideration, but that Detention is fully staffed.
The sheriff spoke about the incident involving livestock killing in the county. He mentioned that the matter had been shared with Crimestoppers, and that his department as well as other agencies are investigating the criminal
killing of livestock.
Camera systems were discussed. The cost of in-car cameras from the current provider have increased, and another company has potentially been considered for the next round.
The proposal is for ten in-car cameras, and nineteen body cams. The current cameras have been reported to be failing. Motorola has offered the sheriff a $50K savings incentive plus a $4k trade-in. The amount cited was $132,820, which could be paid all at once or in installments. Mabey proposed to begin the process by agreeing to the contract. The $50K incentive was due to expire soon. There are also software problems with the current setup, in terms of compatibility. The Sheriff expressed the belief that his budget should be able to cover the amount needed for the cameras. The cameras are an important part of protecting the county from liability. The total payment schedule would be for five years on a subscription plan.
Commissioner Somsen motioned to accept the bid from Motorola for $132,820 for the cameras, which was approved. Chairman Mathews signed the agreement on behalf of the county.
Weed Control
Dwight Lloyd spoke to the commissioners about enforcement costs, though he felt that the discussion needed the input of Attorney Wood, who would not be in attendance. The costs are related to weed abatement.
Landfill Fees
A public hearing regarding landfill fees was opened. Jason Lower was in attendance to discuss the change in fees. No public feedback has been received by the county about the change. The change in fees is over the 5 percent threshold, so a hearing will be required each time the fee is increased. For the Grays Lake area, the fee will be increased to $180/yr at the end of three years, with $60/yr each year.
The cost to trailer parks and apartment owners will see a large increase. It was suggested that a gradual increase could be applied to trailer parks and apartments as well. $105 per unit increases will be attached to bring those per unit costs to $180. The county officials expressed the belief that the rapid, substantial increase was too extreme and should be staggered rather than done all at once.
Jason Lower, representing IDAWY spoke on the increases. He suggested that IDAWY was most interested in fairness across the board for customers. “We’re just trying to make it fair,” he said.
Changes to tire fees were also discussed, and will be published soon.
The public hearing was closed, and the fees will be restructured and published.
EMS
Eric Hobson spoke to the commissioners about a number of issues.
Hobson stated that radio purchases of “old-new stock” and refurbished units ended up saving money over new stock.
The purchase of 19 radios from Motorola was approved.
EMS entered executive session with the county commissioners to interview for an opening in the department. Planning and Zoning; Ag Protection Act
Helen Barker of Planning and Zoning spoke to the commissioners about a number of issues, including changes to an ordinance’s wording, and the creation of an Ag Protection Area Ordinance.
The Ag Protection Act (House Bill 2023-377) requires an ordinance to be created at the county commission level to outline the county’s implementation of APAs (Agricultural Pretection Areas). The ordinance will be required to follow standard noticing and hearing procedures, and according to the act, must be in place by January 1, 2025. The stated purpose of the act is “to preserve farmland,” and it allows for county residents to pursue designation of land as Protected Ag land on which “county boards must not enact local laws that restrict farming practices or structures.” The APA does not provide any financial incentives to those who seek an APA designation. The committee will need 3-5 people from the community with ties to the Ag community.
The committee will be separate from the PZ board, and will set the specific terms that will regulate how the status will be sought and granted or denied within the county. It will also need to be determined what the minimum and maximum timeframes for the status will be.
Commissioner Somsen reported that a number of counties had stated that they did not think the issue was applicable to them, as the concept of protecting Ag land was already a component of their comprehensive plans. Somsen felt that this would potentially open the county up to issues related to eminent domain, which he feels is not the purpose of the legislation. The commissioners felt that they needed to read through the material more thoroughly before appointing members to the board.
A public hearing would be needed to put the Ag Protection board into the comprehensive plan. The exact extent to which the board needed to be established alongside the ordinance was noted as somewhat unclear. The Ag Protection bill is designed to protect historically Ag land from urban encroachment.
The commissioners also felt that the statute mirrored in large part the direction that the county was moving in terms of agricultural protection.
The county considered holding the formation of the board until an application is submitted for the protection. “I just don’t like them mandating something that only affects a tiny portion of the state. This mold just doesn’t quite fit us,” Chairman Mathews said.
Barker also noted that MR&E will no longer be offering porta potty cleaning services. The full contract amount is likely to be under the $50K threshold to require bids. MR&E stated that the contract runs from May to September, and a new service provider will be sought to account for county facilities affected. Search and Rescue—Walter Kuchler
Walter Kuchler is a volunteer for SR. He spoke to the commissioners about the Search and Rescue building, which he felt might not withstand an earthquake. Some concerns about a safe place to park for SR volunteers and employees was discussed.
City of Soda Springs—Alan Skinner
City Engineer Alan Skinner spoke to the commission on behalf of the city about Main Street, as well as the Ledger Creek trail project.
Engineer Skinner updated the commissioners on the Main Street project. A shared cost proposal by the city council was presented to the board. Conduits on the west side are being put in today. Lights on Main Street will come from LEDs. Concrete will be put in this week. Within two weeks, the west side of the road should be nearing completion, and the project will move to the east side. Flashing crosswalk signs will be installed outside the rock house. The commission was asked whether they would also like one, at a cost of $11K.
Sewer hookups will be put up to the courthouse. The city would like to separate the roof drains from the sewer system. The current setup creates an extra cost for running the rainwater through the treatment plant. Where the roof could tie into the storm drain system was discussed.
The city will give notice to the county on the days when concrete will be poured, so that it does not create any problems with the court calendar.
The cost sharing proposal from the county was reviewed by the commissioners. Buildings owned by the county were included in the arrangement. The city council proposed $468K from the county in contribution for the project.
Engineer Skinner reported that he applied for a grant to put in trails south of the hospital area to the airport area for a total of 20K feet of trail, with a tree every 50 feet. The project was agreed to be a good one, considering the number of people who walk in the area. This will occur on the 680 acres donated to the city by Nutrien. The grant doesn’t pay for buildings or equipment.
The city is asking stakeholders for input and participation in the project.
Engineer Skinner suggested that an in-kind donation from the county to load and deliver silica sand would be very helpful. The commission felt that they would be willing to provide that in-kind work if able.
Commissioner Somsen questioned the city’s request for the county to pay for the city water hookup costs, and the issue was discussed. The matter will be returned to in a future meeting. Aaron Cook—Computer purchase A quote for a new computer for the GIS audit came back for $1,977 for a business PC. A motion to approve the purchase passed.
Jill Stoor
Clerk Stoor reported that the county had received the Ada County Pathology agreement. The state has approached Bannock county about the idea of re-opening the center in the county. Talks are apparently open again about moving forward with the project, which was scuttled earlier in the year.
The levy rates from 2019 to present were presented to the commission. The levy rate has gone down, which is a result of the increased value of the property.
An EMS grant for equipment and a sheriff’s grant through the state, which requires the signature of the auditor was signed.
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The trees are just beginning to turn on the west side of Fish Creek Summit.
Runners in Training at Thirkill
Soda Springs Cross Country coach
Linda Siepert held an event at the Thirkill Elementary school last week, during which a cross country course was set up for each grade and they competed against their other classes. The day’s activities are a continuation of an annual event started by the Cross Country team. According to Siepret, “the kids really enjoy it. They compete against other classes in their grade. The top team wins a trophy and the top 30 runners to cross the line get a medal.” Cross Country is a growing sport within the county and is becoming more and more popular with young athletes. The success of the middle and high school programs locally is not doubt partly due to the efforts of Siepert and others, who have created a fun and exciting way to introduce kids to the cross country experience.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
To Whom It May Concern,
I attended Soda Springs High School from 2017 to 2021, and the school has been in desperate need of replacement for a long time. During my time there, I experienced several significant issues that affected both the safety and learning environment. A good educational setting is essential for positive learning outcomes. As you consider your vote, please think of your children—whether they have, are currently, or will attend this school—and ask yourself if you want them learning in this environment. Let me share some of my experiences. In the warmer months, the school is unbearably hot due to the lack of air conditioning. During winter, the boiler frequently broke down, leaving classrooms freezing cold. I remember bringing my winter coat to class because I needed it in certain classrooms. When snow melted, water would seep through the ceiling, and dirty water ran down the walls. Trash cans were scattered throughout the hallways and entrances to catch water leaking through the roof. The state of the building is
Fish and Game Corner
Pheasant stocking delayed to reduce congestion
Idaho Fish and Game Dept.
To avoid conflicts with deer hunters and to reduce hunter congestion, Idaho Fish and Game will once again begin stocking pheasants at the Portneuf Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in southeast Idaho after Oct. 24, the final day of general deer season in the Southeast Region.
However, pheasant stocking will take place at Sterling WMA near Aberdeen in time for the youth pheasant season which kicks off this Saturday, Oct. 5, and runs through Oct. 11. For a full list of pheasant stocking areas for the fall and number of birds to be stocked, go to the Pheasant Stocking Program webpage (https://idfg.idaho. gov/hunt/pheasant/stocking) and click on each location.
As a reminder, youth pheasant season allows licensed hunters 17 years and younger to get out in the field to pursue pheasant during a special week set aside just for them!
Young hunters must have a valid Idaho hunting license or an Idaho Hunting Passport, and they must be accompanied by an Idaho-licensed hunter aged 18 years or older. Anyone 18 years or older cannot hunt during the youth hunt.
Youth hunters do not need an Upland Game Bird Permit to hunt where birds are stocked, but they are required to wear at least 36 squares inches of visible hunter orange above the waist during the pheasant season while hunting at those locations. A hunter orange hat meets this requirement.
Pheasant hunting for all ages starts Oct. 12 or Oct. 19, depending on which part of the state you plan to hunt. As a reminder, there is a five-day delay for nonresident participation in general pheasant seasons; however, this does not apply to the youth season.
For full pheasant hunting rules, refer to the 2024-25 Idaho Upland Game, Turkey and Furbearer rules booklet (https://idfg.idaho.gov/ sites/default/files/seasons-rules-upland-game-2024-2025.pdf).
concerning; I wonder what the inside of the walls looks like after years of water damage.
One of the worst incidents was when a classmate’s desk leg went through the floor in our science class. We were on the second floor, and it was clear that the floor could no longer safely support the weight. This school is not just outdated—it’s unsafe for students and anyone who enters. Since I left, conditions have only worsened. There was even a fire in the gym a couple of years ago. Imagine if that had happened while students were there. Given our region's susceptibility to earthquakes, the high school may not survive a strong tremor. We shouldn’t wait for another accident to happen before taking action.
Please vote yes for the school bond. Soda Springs needs a new high school, and this bond is crucial for ensuring the students and community have a safe, functional learning environment.
Sincerely,
Alyssa Ericsson
Happy 85th Birthday, Charlotte Skinner, a wonderful mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and friend to all.
Charlotte was born on October 1,1939, in Soda Springs, Idaho. At the young age of 3, she caught the music bug and there was no stopping her. Her musical talents on the piano and accordion have touched the lives of so many far and wide.
She raised 9 kids, taught music at Thatcher and Grace Elementary schools, played at countless weddings and funerals, and traveled many miles to entertain and share her music.
Please join us in celebrating her at an open house on Saturday, October 12, 2024, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Thatcher/Williams Ward meeting house in Niter, Idaho. All friends and family welcome.
Mrs. Herron's 4th graders
Mrs. Harris' 2nd grade class
Mrs. Fullmer's 3rd grade class
Mrs. Ineck's kindergarteners
Mrs. Wistisen's 1st grade class
There’s More to “Farm to Table” than you’d think
Allison Eliason
There are very few inventions or advancements that have changed the cattle industry. For centuries, cowboys have herded cattle on horseback, branded with a fired hot iron, doctored sick cattle by heading and heeling, and driven cattle on foot for miles to turn out on the summer range just like they did when the west was settled. But there is no denying that the industry can’t boast of its boom without giving credit to the revolution of transportation.
FROM KING FEATURES WEEKLY SERVICE, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803
the assembly line were far superior to what could be with scrap wood and metal on the farm. The old cowboys working through the transition recalled how the sturdy, yet lightweight trailers were a dream to pull around, whether it was across the range or on the highway.
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The first and greatest revolution began with the railroad. The ability to transport cattle beyond where they could get by hoof created possibilities cattle ranchers had only dreamed of as the railways began crossing the country in the late 1800s. Beef markets began to open up in new ways, making the industry far more profitable.
NOW HERE’S A TIP #12345_20240930 FOR RELEASE SEPT. 30, 2024
By JoAnn Derson
As technology continued to change transportation with far more fast moving vehicles in the 1900s, new problems arose that spelled the end of the rail-car cattle transport era. In short, it was becoming harder and more dangerous for large herds to trail to stockyards with the growing traffic of speeding vehicles. Instead of hauling live cattle, the refrigerated rail-car made it possible to transport beef to markets across the country without the long cattle drives.
With the changing times, growing cities, and new highway systems, there became an even greater need for the means to haul livestock. Whether it was transporting cattle to new owners, summer pasture, or to be processed, hoofing it was hardly an option anymore. This necessitated a creative solution and before long, the first livestock wagons were created.
Most wagons were homemade but eventually the stock trailers made on
Continued development brought with it livestock trailers on a large scale. Known as “bull wagons” or “cattle haulers,” these semi-truck driven trailers once again expanded just how far cattlemen could take their business. With the possibility of moving hundreds of cattle thousands of miles with ease, ranchers could ship to feedlots or stockyards across the country or run large herds on far off ranges.
It isn’t an uncommon sight to see bull wagons full of cattle running up and down the freeway, bouncing across a dirt road or navigating through a busy city. Fall often brings a surge in cattle hauler traffic as they are bringing home cattle from summer range or shipping out calves headed to feedlots in the midwest.
Hauling cattle long distances by these means is not just a quicker, more efficient means to get the work done, but it can be a far less stressful endeavor for the cows and the cowboys. I say “less” stressful intentionally because there is no denying that there is some stress on cattle hauling them. But it is far less than hoofing it so many miles or the myriad of other risks that arise with long cattle drives. Bull wagons might appear to be massive trailers used to shove as many animals in as possible, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. They have been carefully designed with the health and safety of the livestock and the ranchers loading them. Overcrowded trailers run the risk of
BRAIN TEASERS
injuring cows and cowboys alike, an outcome nobody wants. When loading cattle, careful planning is used concerning the condition of the cattle, their size, the distance they are traveling and even the weather to ensure a safe haul. The cattle numbers are also decided on the weight they can haul as the trucks are regulated based on the size of their trailer and number of axles.
The inside of a cattle hauler is designed with non-slip flooring, several partitions, secure latches, heavy duty gates and a series of ramps to easily move cattle through it. It is divided into four major sections- the nose, the deck, the belly, the doghouse, and the back.
The nose is the very front of the trailer where it is hooked to the semi. The deck is the top half of the middle section with the belly on the bottom half. The dog house, named because it is a smaller space, is on the top of the back end. As it has less vertical space, it is reserved for smaller cows usually under 700 pounds.
Once the cattle are loaded, the priority of cattle haulers is to them where they are going. Their goal is to make it to the final destination with as few stops as possible and to have the cattle off-loaded in a timely way. All in the attempt to cause as little stress on the cattle as possible.
The growth, progress and technology of our present day continues to expand the possibilities of the cattle industry. Many clever, creative, and capable hands and minds have forged the means to take beef from the backroads of the range to the streets of the inner city grocery store for families across the country to enjoy. The next time you pass a bull wagon coming down the road, give a little shout out to crucial part they play in helping put food on your table.
• Fill your salt and pepper shakers a fourth of the way with uncooked white rice. Dry rice will allow the salt or pepper to flow more freely from the shaker. If your shaker is opaque, you can tell when it’s time to add more salt or pepper when the shaker starts to rattle.
• Mark old toothbrushes with masking tape so you can tell the difference between cleaning brushes and those you use for your teeth. You can clean a toothbrush in the dishwasher. Put it with the silverware.
• Because fabric softeners can leave residue in the dryer’s lint trap, clean yours out at least every other month. Just scrub with plain old soap and water.
• “Add this to the list of wonderful cleaners for wood floors: tea. Just brew a couple of cups and use the tea as you would your regular wood floor cleaner. It’s nice and shiny afterward.” — P.L. in Oregon
• Use a turkey baster to “squirt” pancake batter into your frying pan. Mix the batter as normal and unscrew the top of the baster to load. You can use it to make letters for fun kids’ breakfasts. No drips!
• If you have trouble opening the lid on glass jars, try using a pair of standard dishwashing gloves. They work to grip both the lid and the jar. They work especially well if your hands are the least bit moist. — D.Y. in Pennsylvania
Send your tips to Now Here’s a Tip, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803.
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EVENT CALENDARS
SODA SPRINGS/ CARIBOU COUNTY
October 3 – Thursday
Catholic Daily Mass (6:30pm)
IDAN-HA Movie
County P&Z (7pm)
Senior Pictures – Retake
VB @ West Side
XC Bob Conley Invitational @ Pocatello Wellness Complex
October 4 – Friday
Caribou County Senior Dinner
Bridge @ The Senior Center
Catholic Daily Mass (9am)
IDAN-HA Movie
FB w/West Side
VB @ Malad Tournament
MS VB District @ West Side
October 5 – Saturday
IDAN-HA Movie
VB @ Malad Tournament
October 6 – Sunday
Presbyterian Services
Caribou Bible Church Services
Catholic Mass (8:30am)
Open Arms Church Services
LDS Services
Hope Lutheran Church
October 7 – Monday
Catholic Daily Mass (9am)
October 8 – Tuesday
City P&Z (6pm)
October 9– Wednesday
Caribou County Senior Dinner
Pinochle @ The Senior Center
Catholic Daily Mass (9am)
Children Story Time @ Library
10:30am or 11:30am
IDAN-HA Movie
GRACE
October 3 – Thursday XC @ Pocatello
October 4 – Friday
VB @ Malad Tournament
FB @ Rich, UT
JH VB District @ West Side
October 5 – Saturday JH VB @ Malad Tournament
October 6 – Sunday
LDS Services
October 7 – Monday
Preschool Story Hour @ Library
10:30am
Potato Contest
Practice/Tryouts JH GBB
Practice/Tryouts JH Wrestling
October 8 – Tuesday
Potato Contest
NHS Blood Drive
October 9 – Wednesday
JV FB w/West Side
XC @ Firth
JH FB @ Malad
School District Meeting (7pm)
BANCROFT
October 3 – Thursday
MS FB @ Rockland
October 4 – Friday LL VB FB w/Watersprings
October 6 – Sunday
LDS Services
October 7 – Monday
School Board Meeting (6:30pm)
October 8 – Tuesday
MS VB w/Watersprings
VB @ Aberdeen Flu Shot Clinic
October 9 – Wednesday
Senior Pictures Retake
MS FB w/Rockland
MS VB @ Mackay
BIRTHDAYS
Craig Boswell, Oct. 1
ValDean Moore, Oct. 1
Charlotte Skinner, Oct. 1
Bonnie Skinner, Oct. 2
Jackie Gessford, Oct. 2
Marjean Duren, Oct. 3
Ann Mendenhall, Oct. 5
Ruth Ann Rasmussen, Oct 6
Tristan Pfeffer, Oct. 8
Sharon Berg, Oct. 12
Rosalie Lemons, Oct. 12
Jeanie Lloyd, Oct. 12
Debbie Rigby, Oct. 17
Kelly Holt, Oct. 18
Charles Prahl, Oct. 19
Connie Lakey, Oct. 20
Erin Olsen, Oct. 20
Chalice Call, Oct. 24
Lynne Weaver, Oct. 26
Julie Hook, Oct. 27
Happy Halloween, Oct 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
LUNCH MENUS
SODA SPRINGS LUNCH MENU
Lunches served with Milk
Monday, October 7
Chicken Burger, Chips, Fruit, Veggies
Tuesday, October 8
Idaho Nachos, Fruit, Veggies
Wednesday, October 9
Chicken Noodle Soup, Breadstick, Fruit, Veggies
Thursday, October 10
Hot Dog, Pork & Beans, Fruit, Veggies
NORTH GEM LUNCH MENU
Milk and Choice of Bar Each Day
Monday, October 7
Italian Dunkers, California Spinach Salad, Pears
Tuesday, October 8
Tomato Soup w/Grilled Cheese, Fresh Baby Carrots, Applesauce Pudding Cups
Wednesday, October 9
BBQ Chicken Sliders, Potato Wedges, Orange Slices
Thursday, October 10
Smothered Burrito, Sweet Corn, Peach Parfait
GRACE LUNCH MENU
Lunches served with Milk
Monday, October 7
Quesadilla, Food Choice – Corn, Refried Beans or Pears
Tuesday, October 8
Spaghetti, Breadstick, Food Choice – Romaine Salad, Mandarin Oranges
Wednesday, October 9
BBQ Chicken Sandwich, Tots, Food Choice – Fresh Veggies or Cinnamon Apples
Thursday, October 10
Chicken Tenders, Potatoes w/ Gravy, Food Choice – Sunshine Carrots or Peaches
CARIBOU COUNTY SENIOR CITIZENS' MENU
Every meal served with Juice/Milk/Coffee
Oct. 4 - Tuna Salad Sandwich, Broccoli Salad, Chips, Juice, Chocolate Chip Cookie
ON THIS DAY
1796 Washington proclaims first national Thanksgiving Day on Nov. 26
1863 U.S. President Abraham Lincoln designates last Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day
1882 Bloomingdale's department store in NY opens
1899 J.S. Thurman patents motor-driven vacuum cleaner
1913 U.S. Federal income tax signed into law (at 1%) by President Woodrow Wilson
1922 First facsimile photo sent over city telephone lines, Washington, D.C.
1945 Elvis Presley's first public performance, at age of 10, singing "Old Shep" in youth talent contest at the Mississippi-Alabama Fair
Oct. 9 - Chicken Teriyaki w/ Rice, Stir Fry Veggies, Orange, Oatmeal Bread, Snickerdoodles
and Dairy Show, in Tupelo, Mississippi; contest is broadcast over WELO Radio, he wins fifth prize$5.00 in fair ride tickets
1952 First video recording on magnetic tape in Los Angeles, California
1955 "The Mickey Mouse Club" television series premieres
1995 Former NFL running back, broadcaster and actor O.J. Simpson found not guilty of the murder of Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman in Los Angeles, California
2003 Roy Horn of Siegfried & Roy is attacked by one of the shows tigers, canceling the show for good
2018 First exomoon, moon outside the solar system, discovered 8,000 years away (size of Neptune) by astronomers at Columbia University
LOOKING BACK AT PAGES FROM THE PAST
The following stories are summarized from past issues of the Caribou County Sun over the last fifty plus years. The Enterprise thanks Mark Steele for permission to use the contents, and the Grace Public Library for access to the archives.
2019
Members of the Idaho City Clerks, Treasurers and finance Officers Association elected Bancroft City Clerk-Treasurer Debbie Swensen and Grace Clerk-Treasurer Shelley Reeves as s Directors for District 5 for 2019-2012 at the ICCTFOA Institute in Nampa. The association was formed to increase the professionalism of its members, improve city administration, advance the fullest measure of responsibility in local government, and to cooperate with federal, state, and local agencies, the Association of Idaho Cities, Idaho universities, and other organizations to upgrade the efficiency of city government.
The Homecoming game for Soda Springs went into overtime, where Malad ultimately ended up on top 1812 after an extremely close and hard fought game. The Lady Cards played a hectic schedule during the same week, beating Marsh Valley in three sets, and West Side in four.
2014
Teresa Watkins retired from the Soda Springs Police Department on Sept. 8, after working 23 years. During her career she worked for Chief Blynn Wilcox and Chief Joe Rice. Teresa was very proud of the police department and enjoyed working public relations. She assisted Sheriff Ric Anderson when he worked for the police department in organizing several Safety Fairs at the city park. Teresa certified to be a child safety seat technician for many years before becoming a certified instructor. She spent five years writing grants for the Idaho Department of Transportation. These grants enabled funds for safety, drug and alcohol awareness programs in all the schools. She worked with the railroad on Operation Lifesaver, and put together the Prescription Take Back Program, which is part of a nationwide program for getting old and unwanted prescriptions and over the counter medicine out of homes and safely destroyed. She looks forward to spending time with her husband Conrad, their kids, and grandchildren as they head into the next chapter of their life.
2009
Idaho Fish and Game personnel are nursing a pelican and hopefully it can be returned to the wild after someone shot the bird, which was reported by residents in the Valley View Subdivision north of the Alexander Reservoir. Nathan Stohosky, IDFG conservation officer from Grace, said the injured pelican was in the area close to a canal that flows through the lower part of the subdivision. “There was a bullet hole through the left wind and into the upper back,” he said. The pelican could not fly, but it took Stohosky a couple of hundred yards in a foot race to capture the bird.
Enrollment in Caribou County school district is mostly down, with the exception of the North Gem School District in Bancroft. North Gem has seen a jump of 10 students this year in enrollment, from 50 to 60. Overall numbers for K-12 are also up to 201 from last year’s 183. Soda Springs has a drop at their high school from 254 to 237. But they have a very slight increase of two students overall at 830 this year compared to 828 last year. The Grace School District had 127 in the high school in 2008 and that dropped nine 10 115 this year. Their total enrollment K-12 also was down from 448 to 425 at the beginning of the school year.
The Idaho Library Association Book Award Committee has chosen its selections for the 2008 Book of the Year Award. Honorable Mention was awarded to “The Enders Hotel: A Memoir” by Brandon Schrand and published by the University of Nebraska Press.
2004
demonstration last week when pilot Greg Poe flew his custom built aircraft into the Soda Springs Tigert airport on Friday. Poe was sponsored by the Hooper Hawks and Monsanto Fund, who helped with a grant through the Soda Springs Education Foundation. Not only did Poe do aerobatics in his special aircraft with a nearly 400 horse-power engine, but he also presented an assembly, where he talked about character and succeeding, and helped the students catch their imagination through success and various role models. Poe’s life took a major turn following the drug-related death of his son Ryan. He now visits schools and youth groups discussing the incredible opportunities aviation has afforded him and telling his son’s story as a reminder to young people about the importance of making the right choices.
A new ally in the battle against hunger and malnutrition is the Soda Springs Baptist Church, which has opened a food closet, available to any who might need it. Items such as beans, rice, cereal, and various canned foods are available. Pastor Chris Zeller said, “We know that there are people without enough to eat for themselves and their children. We just decided as a church that we had to help. Our prayer is that people will take advantage of this and discover through this service the unconditional love of Jesus.”
It was reported that the figures for 2002 had been officially verified, and found the following vital statistics: 99 live births to people in Caribou County for a birth rate of 13.5, slightly lower than the national and state rates. Of the births, 39 were males and 60 were females. Fewer mothers than the state average were under 18. The most common names given to newborn girls were: Madison, Emily, Emma, Hannah, Abigail, Hailey, Alexis, Samantha, and Taylor. The most common boy names were: Jacob, Ethan, Tyler, Austin, Andrew, Joshua, Logan, and Dylan. Some of the unique spellings noted were Aeryka, Berthaalicia, Bicardi, Fayble, Anaximander, D’heaven, D-o, Diesel, Jedi, Jitter, Pyro, and Zephlyn. There were 73 deaths, a rate of 10, compared with a state rate of 7.4. Heart disease claimed 18 lives, and cancer claimed 9. 5 people were killed in accidents. Influenza and pneumonia claimed 8 lives. The rate of suicide was 13.7, which was slightly below the state rate of 15.1.
Tammy Geddes of Soda Springs was appointed to the Governor’s Coordinating Council for Families and Children by Governor Dirk Kempthorne.
1999
Caribou County Road and Bridge crews are busy doing site preparation for the new Caribou County/BLM Fire Station on the east end of Soda Springs. The county will provide the ground, the prep work, and run utilities, while the BLM will construct the building in the cooperative effort, BLM fire crews will live in the quarters at the new building during summer fire months. It will also have a kitchen, offices, training room, and garages from engines from both agencies. Bids for the construction work are to open shortly, with construction to begin this fall and completion by late spring if all goes well.
BreAnna Southwick, daughter of John and Stace Heinzleman, and Jarrett Gentry, son of Chad an Tami Gentry, participated in the Idaho Junior Rodeo Association this past season. BreAnna participated in three different events—pole bending, barrels, and goat ribbon pull, which she placed 3rd overall and was awarded with a belt buckle. She also qualified to compete in the Western States Finals which took place in Utah. She took fourth in her event. Jarrett competed in the pole bending, goat ribbon pole, and sheep riding, which he placed 2nd overall and was awarded with a belt buckle. He also qualified to compete in the Western State Finals in Utah. He placed 2nd overall and was awarded with a new rodeo coat and a check for $42.50.
The family of Verl Leavitt surprised him on Saturday with an early birthday party. They all enjoyed a barbecue with potluck dinners at the Sam
Humphreys home in Soda Springs. Those in attendance included Verlene and Sam Humphreys, Howie and Tisha Humphreys and sons, Dan and Diana Leavitt, Verl, and Rita Leavitt from the Soda Springs area.
1994
Persons suffering from food allergies can now get potentially lifesaving information just by reading the newly standardized, more detailed labels on food cans, boxes, and jars. Before the new federal food labeling law went into effect this year, persons with allergies had difficulty selecting sage processed foods because food labels contained only sketchy details about ingredients. The labelling of proteins has been particularly troublesome to people allergic to milk, soy, or other protein sources. Terms like “hydrolyzed protein” will be replaced by more specific labels identifying the exact origin of the proteins in question. The labeling is required by the federal Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990 and will apply to 90 percent of manufactured food.
Attorney General Larry EchoHawk has announced a six-month undercover investigation of fraudulent telemarketers. “Telemarketing fraud continues to be the number one area of consumer loss in Idaho. Idaho residents and businesses lose millions of dollars to these con artists,” EchoHawk said. The undercover operation involves identifying phone numbers of victims of scam callers, and routing the calls to the AG’s office so that they can be recorded and used as evidence in investigations into the perpetrators. One of the rising types of fraud involved callers posing as representatives of companies whose purpose was to recover funds already deceitfully obtained by other scammers. Two lawsuits have been filed by EchoHawk’s office against two Las Vegas companies accused of such practices.
K-9 unit handlers from Southeast Idaho took advantage of training offered recently by INEL Security in deployment and use of K-9s in and around helicopters. Jon Bunderson, Soda Springs Police Dept. K-9 officer, and his Belgian Malonois, Blitz, took part in training that involved working the dogs on deployment in and around helicopters, and handler safety. “We had preflight training and got the dogs used to the rotor wash from the Bell 412 helicopter used for security at the INEL site,” Bunderson said. “Two handlers and their dogs would take off, land, deploy, and apprehend the suspect,” he said about the training that the site. K-9 officer said Blitz, a two-year old dog bred for law enforcement work, did excellent.
1984
The three U.S. Postmasters in Caribou County, along with law enforcement officers, were given a sneak-preview last week of the new stamp being issued by the Postal Service in conjunction with Crime Prevention Month, which starts Oct. 1. The postmasters said the unique 20-cent Crime Prevention Stamp that features a portrait of McGruff the Crime Dog in his familiar trench coat, will be on sale this Wednesday.
The Postmasters—Carl Hess in Soda Springs, Monte Blanchard in Grace, and Richard Platts in Bancroft—all said they thought the stamp woluld be a great collector’s item and were glad to see the emphasis on crime prevention. Sheriff Richard Weaver and deputy Geary Bybee, crime prevention officer, along with Glen Armstrong of the Soda Spring PD, were on hand to view the first McGruff stamps. October is National Stamp Collecting month.
The Post Office in Soda Springs also took on a new look with an oil sketching of the Pony Express changing horses. According to Carl Hess, the painting measures three feet by six feet on the north wall of the post office lobby, and was an idea he had for the Postal Service’s lobby beautification efforts. The artist, Neva Harrison, completed the painting in about 25 hours from a pencil sketch she had drafted.
A special voters pamphlet was sent out to all residences in Caribou County by the Secretary of State’s Office containing information about the ini-
tiative to exempt food from sales tax. Two constitutional amendments are also explained in the pamphlet. One amendment would allow counties to be divided in forming legislative districts, rather than requiring legislative districts to include entire counties. The other amendment gives authority to the state legislature to amend or reject the state water plan.
Drivers renewing their licenses in Caribou County will be greeted with an instant issue driver’s license, according to Caribou County Sheriff Richard Weaver. Through the Dept of Transportation, a new Polaroid camera is the heart of the system. Drivers renewing licenses will be able to walk out with license in hand, instead of having to wait three months with a temporary license while it was being processed in Boise. Drivers who renew will have their addresses, physical description, and other data typed on a special card, get an eye screening, gave a picture taken, and then will receive their permanent threeyear license.
1969
Mrs. Hilda Trackwell, Lockwood advertising manager, is staging an oddest-looking potato contest this fall for kids under 18 in the United States and Canada. The top prize for the winning odd-looking potato is a $50 U.S. Savings Bond. The school lunch menu for this week for Soda Springs—Monday: Chinese noodle dish, peaches, hot bread biscuits, butter and milk. Tuesday: tuna pot pie, cheese wedge, sliced tomatoes, fruit cup, bread, butter and milk. Wednesday: chili with crackers, celery and carrot sticks, cinnamon, rolls, apricots and milk. Thursday: meat loaf, macaroni with tomatoes, carrots and celery sticks, applesauce, bread, butter and milk. Friday: roast beef with brown gravy over whipped potatoes, green buttered beans, caramel raisin pudding, bread, butter and milk.
Mr. and Mrs. Leo Christensen have received a copy of the following citation for a Bronze Star regarding Leland Hawker, a 1963 graduate of Grace High School: Republic of Vietnam—For heroism in connection with military operations against an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam. Corporal Leland Hawker distinguished himself while serving as a team leader while on a sweep mission northwest of Kontum City. Company C made contact with an estimated company-size enemy force. Without hesitation, Corporal Hawker moved to the forward element receiving fire and low crawled to within several meters of an enemy emplacement. Momentarily pinned down by automatic weapons fire, Corporal Hawker directed his men to fire on the position. After silencing the enemy he moved across the open area to help his wounded comrades to safety. Corporal Hawker’s exceptional courage, determination, and exemplary devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the miliary service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.
IDAN-HA THEATRE
-INDOOR-
Thursday, October 3
Friday, October 4
Saturday, October 5
Alien Romulus (R)
Space colonizers come face to face with the most terrifying life-form in the universe while scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station.
Thursday, Friday & Saturday
6:00 p.m. and 8:15 p.m.
Saturday Matinee
2:00 p.m. (All seats $5)
Wednesday, October 9
6:00 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. (All seats $5)
208-547-3282
Fourth grade Hooper Hawks from Hooper Elementary got a aerobatics
Nathan J. Cuoio
MERRILL & MERRILL, CHARTERED
109 N. Arthur, 5th Floor Pocatello, Idaho 83204 (208) 232-2286 (208) 232-2499 Telefax Idaho State Bar No. 9203 nate@mmlawid.com
Attorneys for Applicant
IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF THE SIXTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT OF THE STATE OF IDAHO, IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF CARIBOU
MAGISTRATE DIVISION IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF
SALLY ANN RINDLISBAKER, Deceased.
CASE NO. CV15-24-0195
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN
that Larin A. Westerberg has been appointed Personal Representative of the abovenamed decedent. All persons having claims against the decedent or the estate are required to present their claims within four months after the date of the first publication of this Notice or said claims will be forever barred. Claims must be presented to Larin A. Westerberg, c/o
Nathan J. Cuoio, Merrill & Merrill, Chartered, 109 North Arthur 5th Floor, Pocatello, Idaho 83204, and filed with the District Court of the Sixth Judicial District of the State of Idaho, in and for the County of Caribou, Magistrate's Division.
DATED this 18th day of September, 2024.
MERRILL & MERRILL, CHARTERED By: _____________________
Nathan J. Cuoio
Attorneys for Personal Representative
#1036-9-26-10-3-10-24-T3
PUBLIC NOTICE OF INTENT TO PROPOSE OR PROMULGATE NEW OR CHANGED AGENCY RULES
The following agencies of the state of Idaho have published the complete text and all related, pertinent information concerning their intent to change or make the following rules in the latest publication of the state Administrative Bulletin.
The proposed rule public hearing request deadline is October 16, 2024, unless otherwise posted. The proposed rule written comment submission deadline is October 23, 2024, unless otherwise posted. (Temp & Prop) indicates the rulemaking is both Temporary and Proposed. (*PH) indicates that a public hearing has been scheduled.
IDAPA 02 – DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE PO Box 7249, Boise, ID 83707
02-0212-2401, Bonded Warehouse Rules. ZeroBased Regulation (ZBR) Rewrite clarifies procedures for licensing, collection and remittance of assessment, determining claim value, maintaining electronic records use of electronic scales, and remedies of the Department for non-compliance.
02-0214-2401, Rules for Weights and Measures. Amendment updates incorporated document that contains the specifications, tolerances, and other technical requirements for commercial weighing and measuring devices.
02-0301-2401, Rules Governing Pesticide Management Plans for Ground Water Protection. ZBR Rewrite clarifies procedure for testing and monitoring groundwater for pesticides and remedies of the Department for noncompliance.
02-0403-2401, Rules Governing Animal Industry. ZBR Rewrite clarifies procedures for: disease control of livestock and other animals into, within, and out of the state; prevention, control, and eradication of diseases among animals in the state; and Departmental remedies for
non-compliance.
02-0405-2401, Rules Governing Grade A Milk and Manufacture Grade Milk. Updates include changes in incorporated federal code governing design, construction, production, manufacture, distribution, handling, storage, quality, analysis, and sale of safe and wholesome dairy products.
02-0415-2401, Rules Governing Beef Cattle Animal Feeding Operations. Removes redundant language now included in IDAPA
02.04.30, Rules Governing Environmental and Nutrient Management, for waste systems on beef cattle animal feeding operations.
02-0419-2401, Rules Governing Domestic Cervidae. Rulemaking complies with recent legislation making certain changes to the quarantine process, sampling protocols, and requirements for domestic cervidae operations while under quarantine.
02-0501-2401, Rules Governing Produce Safety. ZBR Rewrite clarifies procedures for administering the Food Safety Modernization Act and remedies for non-compliance for the growing, harvesting, packing, and holding of safe and unadulterated produce for human consumption.
02-0602-2401, Rules Governing Registrations and Licenses. Updates incorporated standardized regulations for Commercial Feed, Commercial Fertilizer, and Soil and Plant Amendments, refining definitions, technical terms, and other standards necessary for product regulation.
02-0609-2402, Rules Governing Invasive Species and Noxious Weeds. Changes reduce categorization of Turkish thistle from EDRR to Control category and add clarifying language for EDRR noxious weed list criteria.
02-0633-2401, Organic Food Products Rules. Updates incorporated CFR document, National Organic Program Regulations, governing the specifications, tolerances, and other technical requirements for maintaining organic accreditation.
IDAPA 02.08 – IDAHO SHEEP AND GOAT HEALTH BOARD 2118 W Airport Way, Boise, ID 83705 02-0801-2401, Sheep and Goat Rules of the Idaho Sheep and Goat Health Board. ZBR Rewrite governs: prevention, control, and disease eradication procedures; interstate and intrastate movement; and assessment of fees to provide functional resources for sheep and goats in Idaho.
IDAPA 08 – STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION PO Box 83720, Boise, ID 83720-0037 08-0113-2401, Rules Governing the Opportunity Scholarship Program. Changes reflect recent legislation and include: updating the credit completion minimums for scholarship renewal; new initial eligibility requirement restricting students from receiving simultaneous dual scholarship funds; and reinstating community colleges as eligible recipients of Opportunity Scholarship Funds. 08-0202-2401, Rules Governing Uniformity. Rulemaking comports with governing statute that provides for the development of a boardapproved apprenticeship program by defining teacher certifications training requirements and program exit requirements before apprentices become eligible. 08-0203-2401, Rules Governing Thoroughness. Changes aim to modernize the traditional graduation system to better accommodate variable pathways and competencybased graduation plans for high school graduation requirements. 08-0401-2401, Rules of the Idaho Digital Learning Academy. Proposed language allows IDLA in collaboration with the local education agency to determine comprehensive final exam or final project assessment requirements for their students enrolled in IDLA courses.
IDAPA 09 – IDAHO
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR 317 W 3rd St, Boise, ID 83702 09-0101-2401, Rules of
Administrative Procedure of the Department of Labor. ZBR Rewrite details procedures for rulemaking, petitions for declaratory rulings, and determinations and appeals pursuant to the Employment Security Law, Claims for Wages Act, or other specified program.
09-0130-2401, Unemployment Insurance Benefits Administration Rules. ZBR Rewrite governs claims for unemployment insurance benefits.
09-0135-2401, Unemployment Insurance Tax Administration Rules. ZBR Rewrite specifies Department procedures and the rights and duties of employers under the Unemployment Insurance Program.
IDAPA 11 – IDAHO STATE POLICE \ STATE FORENSIC
LABORATORY
700 S Stratford Dr, Meridian, ID 83642
*11-0301-2401, Rules
Governing Alcohol Testing. (*PH) ZBR Rewrite relates to the governance and operation of the Alcohol Testing Program and outlines requirements for laboratory alcohol analysis and for performing breath alcohol testing.
IDAPA 13 – IDAHO
DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME PO Box 25, Boise, ID 83707
13-0102-2401, Rules Governing Mandatory Education, Mentored Hunting, and Shooting Ranges. (Temp & Prop) Rulemaking addresses a United States Fish and Wildlife Service recommendation to adopt a bear identification test to avoid take of grizzly bear by misidentification.
13-0107-2401, Rules Governing Taking of Wildlife. Rulemaking modifies four game management (elk) zones to align with changes presented in the agency’s Idaho Elk Management Plan and clarifies that state regulatory actions do not authorize any person to violate federal laws relative to federally protected wildlife when there is not a valid federal take authorization.
13-0111-2401, Rules Governing Fish. Edits expand opportunities for spearfishing in Idaho and provides Commission authority through proclamation to determine seasons, fish species, and take limits for spearfishing.
IDAPA 17 – INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION PO Box 83720, Boise, ID
83720-0041
*17-0101-2301, Administrative Rules Under the Worker's Compensation Law. (*PH)
ZBR Rewrite covers the administration and regulation of the Idaho Worker’s Compensation Act, including, but not limited to: coverage requirements, benefits administration, medical fee schedule and process for medical fee disputes, reporting requirements, and claims administration requirements. Comment by 10/28/2024.
IDAPA 24 – DIVISION OF OCCUPATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL LICENSES PO Box 83720, Boise, ID 83720-0063
*24-0401-2401, Rules of the Board of Registration for Professional Geologists. (*PH) ZBR Rewrite governs the practice of geology in Idaho, including licensure, practice standards, and applicable fees.
*24-2101-2401, Rules of the Idaho State Contractors Board.
(*PH) ZBR Rewrite governs the practice and registration of construction and contractors in Idaho with associated fees.
*24-3910-2402, Rules of the Idaho Electrical Board.
(*PH) Proposed edits: modify definitions for Residential, Journeyman, and Master Electricians and Contractors; define continuing education criteria; clarify supervision practice standards; and update the Idaho Electrical Code.
IDAPA 26 – DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION
5657 Warm Springs Ave, Boise, ID 83716
26-0137-2401, Rules
Governing Test Procedures and Instruments for Noise Abatement of Off Highway Vehicles. ZBR Repeal proposes to rescind rule chapter with the intent of placing regulations in Idaho statute. IDAPA 31 – IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
PO Box 83720 Boise, ID 83720-0074
31-4101-2401, Customer Relations Rules for Telephone Corporations Providing Services in Idaho Subject to Customer Service Regulation by the Idaho Public Utilities Commission (The Telephone Customer Relations Rules). ZBR Rewrite addresses areas of disagreement between provider companies and customers with regard to: deposits, guarantees, and billing; application for, denial of, and termination of service; complaints to telephone companies; billing for interrupted service; and certain customer information being provided to authorities.
IDAPA 37 – IDAHO DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES PO Box 83720 Boise, ID 83720-0098
37-0301-2401, Adjudication Rules. ZBR Rewrite implements governing statutes for the filing of, and the collection of fees for, notices of claims to water rights acquired under state law in general adjudications.
37-0302-2401, Beneficial Use Examination Rules. ZBR Rewrite sets procedures for appointing certified water right examiners and govern beneficial use examinations and the filing of beneficial use examination reports.
37-0303-2301, Rules and Minimum Standards for the Construction and Use of Injection Wells. ZBR Rewrite establishes minimum standards and criteria for the construction and abandonment of, and injection of fluid into, Class V deep and shallow injection wells in the state, except Indian lands, along with prohibiting the construction and use of Class I, III, IV, or VI injection wells.
37-0309-2401, Well Construction Standards Rules. For the protection of ground water resources of the state against waste and contamination, this ZBR Rewrite administers minimum standards for the construction of all new wells and the modification and decommissioning of existing wells.
37-0311-2401, Rules for Conjunctive Management of Surface and Ground Water Resources. Targeted change will ensure continuity between statute and rule when clarifying the area having a common ground water supply for the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer.
IDAPA 39 – IDAHO TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT
PO Box 7129, Boise, ID 83707-1129
39-0203-2401, Rules Governing Vehicle Dealer’s Principal Place of Business and Claims to the Idaho Consumer Asset Recovery Fund. ZBR Rewrite clarifies terms used in the statutory definition of “principal place of business” and provides for definitions and processes for payment of claims from the Idaho Consumer Asset Recovery Fund.
39-0275-2401, Rules Governing Names on Drivers' Licenses and Identification Cards. Proposed changes align the standardized recording of an individual's name with their verified identity documentation and remove unnecessary and prohibitive language.
39-0341-2401, Rules Governing Traffic Control Devices. Changes articulate portions of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices that Idaho does not comply with to remain in substantial conformance with required federal code.
39-0360-2401, Rules Governing Outdoor Advertising, Accident Memorials, and Other Official Signs. ZBR Rewrite provides for the control of outdoor advertising signs, structures, or displays along the interstate, primary system of highways, and National Highway System roads of the state.
39-0365-2401, Rules Governing Traffic Minute Entries. ZBR Rewrite establishes the procedures for making traffic minute entries regulating speed zoning, parking, traffic control devices, and the selective exclusion of traffic on the State Highway System. IDAPA 43 – IDAHO OILSEED COMMISSION
55 SW 5th Ave, Ste 100, Meridian, ID 83642 *43-0101-2401, Rules Governing the Idaho Oilseed Commission. (*PH) ZBR Rewrite administers the statutory duties of the Idaho Oilseed Commission to include a quarterly tax payment schedule and late payment penalty. Comment by 11/01/2024.
IDAPA 47 – DIVISION OF VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION PO Box 83720, Boise, ID 83720-0037 47-0101-2401, Rules Governing Vocational Rehabilitation Services. As a result of a federal compliance review, language specific to required services related to a primary individual plan and employment maintenance is being removed to comply with federal regulation.
IDAPA 50 – COMMISSION OF PARDONS AND PAROLE 3056 Elder St, Boise, ID 83705 50-0101-2401, Rules of the Commission of Pardons and Parole. (Temp & Prop) Rulemaking comports with governing law the time frame in which a person convicted of Assault and Battery and Attempted Strangulation can apply for a pardon.
NOTICES OF ADOPTION OF TEMPORARY RULE ONLY
IDAPA 08 – STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION 08-0203-2403, Rules Governing Thoroughness
IDAPA 13 – IDAHO DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME 13-0117-2402, Rules Governing Use of Bait for Hunting Big Game Animals
Please refer to the Idaho Administrative Bulletin October 2, 2024, Volume 24-10, for the notices and text of all rulemakings, proclamations, negotiated rulemaking and public hearing information and schedules, executive orders of the Governor, and agency contact information.
Issues of the Idaho Administrative Bulletin can be viewed at www. adminrules.idaho.gov/ Office of the Administrative Rules Coordinator, Division of Financial Management, PO Box 83720, Boise, ID 837200032 Phone: 208-334-3900; Email: adminrules@dfm.idaho.gov #1039-10-03-24-T1
FRIDAY AT 4:00 P.M.
OBITUARIES
Scott Shell Mecham
March 31, 1994 ~ September 25, 2024
Scott Shell Mecham (30) went to heaven September 25th following a 13day stay in the University of Utah SICU after a mountain biking accident sustained while riding with a good friend in Pocatello, Idaho on September 12th.
Scott was born to Lynne and Ted Mecham in Newport News, Virginia on March 31st, 1994. From the beginning, Scott lived for being outdoors, especially in the mountains. He enjoyed hiking, biking, camping, rock climbing, and more. He was the epitome of a caring, role-model older brother even at a young age. Scott was competitive and grew up playing and loving all sports and was a part of the 2012 Rigby high school state champion basketball team. He still holds the Idaho 4A classification record for 300m hurdles. Everyone who interacted with him has said that he was unafraid to stand alone in doing what was right and was a genuine friend to all.
Scott attended Carol College and competed on the track team before serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Eugene, Oregon. Upon arriving home, he transferred to BYU where he earned his BS in microbiology and walked on to the track team, eventually running the 6th best time in school history in the 400m hurdles and competing in multiple NCAA and USA championship meets. During that time, he met many lifelong friends and his wife, Cierra Simmons, who was running for Utah State. They married in December of 2018 in the Idaho Falls temple and lived in Logan, UT; Soda Springs, ID; Castle Pines, CO; and Salt Lake City, UT before moving to Fargo, ND and beginning his Doctor of Physical Therapy program at the University of Jamestown in August of 2021. Here, Scott quickly integrated into both his school and church communities, welcomed Jayden into the family, grew his passion and dreams for serving people via physical therapy, and welcomed Parker to the family. He put great care into his schoolwork, clinical practice, and church responsibilities, but nothing could compare to the dedication, time, and love spent in his role as a husband and father.
After graduation in May of 2024, Scott accepted a job in Pocatello, ID to be closer to family and the mountains again. It was an adjustment being away from his girls for such long hours on workdays, and he made the greatest effort to spend every possible minute home or adventuring with them.
Scott was a quiet force for good, never expecting anything in return for his kindness and tireless service. He was exceptional at noticing and lifting those on the fringes. His main goals in life were to continually learn and improve himself, help others, build meaningful relationships, and enjoy as many adventures and mountain tops as possible along the way.
Scott is survived by his wife Cierra and daughters Jayden and Parker, his parents Lynne and Ted Mecham, and siblings Elsja (Colter), Eric, and Preston Mecham. He is preceded in death by his older brother Logan and his grandfathers, Edward Mecham and Verl Shell.
Funeral services will be held in Soda Springs, ID on Friday, October 4, 2024 at 12:00 p.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints church building, 290 S Third West St. Viewings will also be held there Thursday the 3rd from 6:00-7:30 p.m. and Friday 10:00-11:30 a.m.
DEATH NOTICE
Linda Kay Chatterton Carpenter
August 20, 1951 - September 21,2024
Linda Kay Chatterton Carpenter, 73, passed away peacefully in her home on September 21, 2024.
Kamri Snedaker
August 17, 2023 ~ September 26, 2024
Kamri Snedaker, born on August 17, 2023, beautiful daughter of Natalie Lloyd Snedaker and Jordan J Snedaker passed away unexpectedly on Thursday Sept 26, 2024.
Kamri is survived by her older siblings Cache (11), Emmi (8), Sage (5) and Trig (4)
Parents Jordan and Natalie Snedaker Grandparents Ryan and Julie Lloyd and Hal and Debbie Snedaker.
She is a precious gift on loan from God, a true piece of heaven. She is a spirited little angel with a strong will and loving heart. People know by her infectious smile and cutest chubby cheeks. She loves being outside, especially when her sisters took her for rides on crazy carts. She just learned to walk and is so curious and excited to explore this world. Walking to the trampoline is her most common destination outside.
She is a mover and a shaker, always in the cupboards, drawers, or pantry. Her latest love was to play kitchen in an upstairs playhouse making food at a play kitchen and playing with toys with family.
She enjoyed many fun places with family including the frequent trips to grandpa’s and grandma’s houses, family vacations, One-wheel rides and trips to the golf course with dad, and every event of her four siblings.
She brings so much joy to everyone around her through her sweet smile, warm touch, and cute wave. She can befriend a stranger at the grocery store in an instant. She has a way with people
that is hard to explain unless you can know her.
O how we wish she could have stayed with us longer; we love her so much and long to have her back and be reunited with her again. Our hearts are broken, we can’t wait to see her again.
There will be an open house at the Snedaker Residence, 585 Eagle Drive, Preston, Idaho on Friday, October 4, 2024, from 3:00-5:00 pm with services beginning at 5:00 pm. Interment will be in the Preston Idaho Cemetery. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at webbmortuary.com
War on Weeds—weeds are everybody’s problem
THE ISSUE: Tall hawkweed
Tall hawkweed (Hieracium piloselloides) is a perennial herb native to Europe. It was originally introduced on the east coast of the U.S. It invades disturbed areas, pastures, and meadows. It can even grow well in poor soil that contains sand, gravel and rocks.
Tall hawkweed produces flowering stalks that can grow up to 3 feet tall. Early in its lifecycle it forms a rosette of leaves that are about 1.5 inches long and ¼ to 1inch wide. After it bolts yellow ray flowers like that of a dandelion are produced on leafless stems. When stems are cut or damaged, they weep a milky latex sap. Tall hawkweed reproduces mainly by seed but it can reproduce through rhizomes (underground stems) as well.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Options:
• Prevention— Learn to identify this plant. Never transport unknown plant material. Always plant clean seed!
• Mechanical— Hand digging or pulling can be effective on small infestations. Remove as much of the roots as possible. Tillage is not recommended because it can reproduce from rhizomes, allowing it to spread.
• Cultural— Establish a healthy stand of beneficial plants that will compete for essential resources.
• Chemical—Refer to https:// pnwhandbooks.org/weed then search “hawkweed”. Always read and follow herbicide label directions! Justin Hatch, University of Idaho Extension Agriculture Educator in Caribou and Bear Lake Counties. 208-547-3205 JLHatch@uidaho.edu
208-766-4773 or sherrie.w@idahoenterprise.com
e Idaho Enterprise - Caribou County Edition P.O. Box 331 Soda Springs, Idaho 83276 (U.S.P.S. -- 090-560) ISSN: 2997-1004
The Idaho Enterprise - Caribou County Edition is published weekly at 76 South Main Street, Ste. 207, Soda Springs, Idaho. Postmaster, please mail address corrections to:
The Idaho Enterprise, P.O. Box 331, Soda Springs, Idaho 83276.
Entered as “periodicals” at the Soda Springs, Idaho Post Office. Subscription rates are strictly in advance -- $55.00 per year delivered in Caribou County, and $67.00 per year delivered outside of Caribou County within the United States.
The Idaho Enterprise reserves the right to refuse publication of any or all materials.
Brandon Hall
Editor
Phone: 208-766-4773
brandon.h@thecityjournals.com
Bryan Dean Scott Publisher
Phone: 208-766-2419 bryan.s@thecityjournals.com
Shelly Williams Advertising
Phone: 208-766-4773
shelly.w@thecityjournals.com www.cariboucountynews.com
Scott Shell Mecham
Kamri Snedaker
Photo courtesy of John Cardina, The Ohio State University, Bugwood.org
City Council Soda Springs 9/18
Review/Approval minutes, payroll
The payables and minutes were approved after questions about some of the items were clarified.
One of the question was about a charge from EnviroChem for $2200, for two samples of an underground storage tank discovered during the Main Street project.
“When you open sarcophagus, you find surprises,” Council President Mitch Hart remarked. “We found a barrel, and we had to test the soil.” In order to avoid delaying the Main Street project, the tests had to be expedited, which was the origin of the charge. Luckily, the test was clean and the project will not be affected any further as a result.
Citizen Input
Debbie Dumont spoke during the early Citizen Input section of the meeting. “You guys are going to decide about the water and sewer. Just keep in mind how much these increases are going to affect businesses on Main Street and citizens.”
CMC CEO Kent Loosle introduced Erika Dannelly from CMC as the new communications director. He also reported that the first three surgeries using the hospital’s new DaVinci surgical robot were done earlier in the week. Members of the city council asked about some of the specifics of the robot’s surgical capabilities.
Dannelly explained that she and her husband moved here about 4 years ago in conjunction with his work at Kiewit. She has worked in marketing since she graduated college. It turns out that she was already acquainted with Councilmember Rod Worthington, as a result of a medical emergency experienced by her son at Thirkill. As reported in a previous City Council report, a child had broken an arm at the school and was in need of medical attention, for which Dannelly expressed gratitude to Worthington, the Resource Officer, the school staff, and a local parent who stepped in to help. “We love small towns because of just those kind of things.”
Public Hearing Resolutions Sewer and water increase in excess of 5%
A public hearing on the rate increase for sewer and water was opened to discuss a 5% increase in rates and a new fee schedule.
There were no written comments submitted to the city, and the public hearing closed, without any public comment.
Council President Mitch Hart explained, "Whenever we increase fees above 5%, we are obligated to hold a public hearing. The way that rates are set is that we have a base rate depending on the user. Then we have an additional fee to cover the groundwater well we added a few years ago.” The formation well portion was deemed by the council to be not standardized between customers. About 31% of the base rate will be set as the amount paid toward the well.
Outside the city, the rates are roughly 1.5 times higher. Hart suggested adding “unless the rates are established by contract” to the resolution language to allow for the Cedar View and Bayer arrangements, which were described as “a little more complicated than the other customers.”
On Power rates, Hart commented “as a municipality and Power city [meaning that the city supplies the infrastructure], we have the ability to purchase power from anywhere we desire. We buy power from Bonneville at the lowest avail rate in country. It is delivered through lines owned by PacificCorp and RMP at our substation that provides power to the west and east sides of town. We charge the cost for it to be delivered. We’re providing it for 9.9 cents, or 12/kwh range outside.” Hart further stated that in the past there was a residential and a commercial rate. Since then the rates have been standardized.
“In a general sense, we’re raising water and sewer about 5%, and power by 3%,” he concluded.
Resolution 2024-1 regarding Sewer rates, Resolution 2024-2 regarding Power rates, and Resolution 2024-3 regarding Water rates passed unanimously.
Resolution 2024-5 to update fee schedule. Licenses, airport fees, zoning, liquor, burn permit, library, land lease, excavation, individual park leases, pavilion rentals and misc. led to a discussion linked with a record request from a previous meeting made by Debbie Dumont. Record requests from the city operate under state statute regarding fees and redaction.
City Attorney Tom Smith discussed some of the issues involved with members of the council. He explained that the statute was generous to the public, and limited costs on the first 100 pages of printed material. The city also has discretion over the material that can be redacted to protect privacy.
It was determined that the policy would need to be adjusted to align with state law. Smith stated that for his part, “I’ve asked for any information requests to be submitted in writing. I’d like to look at it, because there are some things that are exempt, such as personnel records. I like to review those so I can make the redactions. That helps protect the city too. Some of these exemptions are really obscure, and some are pretty clear, but there’s a lot of them. It helps if it’s in writing, so that there’s a paper trail. A person can file a lawsuit to force disclosure. The general rule is that everything [conducted by public entities] is public record and should be disclosed, unless it’s one of these exceptions.”
Additional questions about the phrasing and scope of the disclosure rules were discussed. Hart asked how “blanket requests” of recurring material should be handled.
Smith replied that “the appropriate response is that if the records haven’t been generated yet, they can’t be requested.” This means that records can only be requested after they have been generated. In other words, a “standing order” for recurring records can only be made after the recording itself happens.
It was determined that the city could not inquire about the purpose behind any record request, outside of clarifying that the request was not related to data collection by an outside entity such as an advertiser.
A motion to approve the fee schedule resolution was withdrawn until the language could be changed to reflect necessary changes to the record request fees.
Debbie Dumont Public records
Following up on the previous discussion, Debbie Dumont spoke to the council regarding a public records requests during a previous meeting.
Dumont asked whether the recently installed TV monitor in the chamber was intended to display documents being discussed by the council during action items, and noted that often the opportunity to display such documents was not taken.
Councilmember Ryan Carpenter stated that the council and staff were still getting used to the system, and there was no intention to avoid making that information available. He further noted that “there is some privileged info on the documents.”
A discussion about whether the city was required to post the minutes was held. It was noted by Attorney Smith that the city was required to post the agenda prior to the meeting, but that the minutes were not required in the same way. The minutes are posted to the city’s website for public review.
President Hart stated with regard to some of the documents involved in decisions that “We have to protect the documents. We hold them back, and then if people request them they go through the process.”
Following up on an abstention by a councilmember on a vote, Tom Smith reminded the council that if they knew they were going to abstain from a vote, they should not participate in the discussion leading up to it. That was not violated in this case, but Smith wanted the council to be sure to adhere to that guideline.
Project Updates
City Engineer Alan Skinner updated the council on a number of projects.
On the Main street project, all 25
sewer connections are done. 12 water connections are done. The water lines have been disinfected, pressurized, and have been prepped.
Storm drains on the west side are next up. The crew will put in conduits for streetlights, then put in concrete for repour.
Councilmember Worthington noted,“I just want to compliment you Alan for your updates. It’s been great to have those.”
President Hart noted that “The business owners have been great.”
Maverik’s new building is nearing completion. They have about 15 ft of concrete left to pour, which should be done during the week. They’re working on signing off plumbing and electrical and mechanical, and should have a certificate of occupancy by Friday Sept 20. The oblong areas on the roadside will be planted with mowable grass. Skinner received an email from corporate saying that both stores would stay open.
Engineer Skinner reported that the Ledger Creek Trails would need about 15K yards of silica sand. He would like a signed agreement to accept the silica sand when they are ready, “Contingent on attorney approval of donation agreement from Bayer/P4, authorization to sign it.”
The city received $130K of a wastewater grant, which Engineer Skinner would like to have Forsgren examine. A motion to authorize Skinner to inform DEQ of acceptance of Wastewater planning grant was approved.
The city has an easement under the tracks at the north end of Main street for direct burial of the water/ sewer pipes. It’s about 8 feet under the track. A discussion was had about the need to dig that up and replace it. Sunrise is not responding very quickly. Alan sent an email asking them to hurry, and explaining that they were as much at risk as the city. The process will not affect the timeline of the Main Street project. 2nd East is another location where this will need to be decided. New PRV (pressure reducing valve) need to be put in.
Department Head Reports
Hope Hansen--Library
Hansen spoke to the council about the library. The library is getting new furnaces, which will be done tomorrow. She noted that recently, “there was a recording breaking 46 kid storytime.”
She also announced that a surprise visitor would be coming to the library in October. [Randy’L Teton will be speaking at the library on October 7.]
Dan Squires
Squires discussed PFAs, which are a concern for the EPA and DEQ right now. About a year-two ago, the DEQ had funds available, but the city opted out. Squires called them and asked if they had any more funds, and they agreed to perform the testing. The city came back “Non-detect” for 11 chemicals the tests looked for.
President Hart noted that, “The selenium issue at the mines is a former best practice. All of them were great ideas at the time, but now you’re being punished for them.”
Justin Hansen
JH spoke to the council on a number of issues. The geyser restrooms
got an estimate from Pocatello Amazing Masonry, LLC. Repair total was just over $3K, and should be done before the end of Sept. The flooring will be purchased before the end of the year too.
New city shop will have concrete poured soon, which is in the budget. Engineer Skinner wants a change order to get the insulation on the way. It was noted that there will be a substantial bill from RMP on maintenance contract. Those are for new businesses and will be billed back. $54K of the $66K are for the new businesses.
Discussion of a potential tubing hill at Hooper was briefly had.
CJ Golightly
The SSPD was represented by Officer Golightly, who stated that “I’d like to thank Casey and the coroner’s office for their work with suicide prevention and mental health.” He also reported that the SSPD should be getting a grant for bulletproof vests.
The department will be attending legal update training in conjunction with the county prosecutor's office and sheriff. The Coroner's office will host drug overdose training.
Casey Batterton
The recent “Please Just Stay” was discussed by Casey Batterton. Bannock County Coroner Torey Danner spoke to the council over the phone. “I was asked to start an anti-suicide campaign for our area. The efforts have been segregated and not focused. There are a lot of resources that are available,” Danner said. “The goal of Just Stay is to coordinate and advertise those resources. We’re looking to widen our reach, and put together something for counties. It’s not a one-sized fits all solution. We want to put something together to put all the resources together in one place. We’ve asked anyone with a useable space to promote the slogan. We want to grow this to more of a regional concept. “Every year we kick off event in Sept. In Bannock, we all sign a proclamation. Help us advertise. Let us get stuff listed on websites.” Paul Gritton remarked, “I would suggest that the city take some active involvement in this. We could put the slogan on the website, and potentially the building.”
Marriage Licenses
9/9 Skeem, Jarrett Scott Anderson, Mystical Rose
9/9 Nelson, Christopher Bryan Wells, Texee Francine
9/10 Meyers, Tanner Rawlings, Tessa Robin
9/16 Badarak, Ronald Steven Siler, Kalah Renee
9/17 Sutterfield, Matthew Mark Browning, Julianna Lynn 9/17 Liechty, Timothy Milton Flint, Brittney Ruth
The "Please Just Stay" slogan was explained by Bannock County coroner Torey Danner to the council. The slogan is desinged to promote Suicide Awareness and Prevention throughout the region.
Middle School XC performs well in Rexburg; Uskoski takes 1st in Varsity
The Rexburg classico was held last Thursday for the Soda Springs middle school Cardinals. This meet represented the first time this season that the Cardinals ran in separate races. The first consisted of four sixth graders. “This was fun to watch and see how these newcomers to cross country would do without some of their older teammates,” said Coach Sue Goodenough. Early in the race, they found themselves in the middle of the pack; however, this did not deter them, and they continued to battle. Clara Lundquist had her best race of her season, medaling and finishing in 8th with a time of 13:57. Eden Galloway (15:04) crossed the finish line next in 33rd, with Eddilyn Hill (16:19) and Kaitlyn Mix (18:14) finishing out the final four runners.
Soda Springs’ Anna Uskoski nabbed 1st place finishing in the girls varsity race. She battled with two Eagle Rock girls for the first 2/3 thirds of the race before making multiple surges to pull away, finishing in 11:38. Sixth grader Avery Winward never let up and fin-
ished in a medaling position of 10th at 12:48. Ellie Moldenhauer (14:13), Danalee Frandsen (14:32), and Gentry Frandsen (14:34) kept each other in site to finish out the race.
The JV boys had seven Cardinals participating in the 3,000 meter race, held at the Rexburg Municipal golf course. Taking advantage of this flat fast course, Wyatt Dillworth (13:00) was determined right from the starting line placing 17th. Calvin Renfroe (13:49) did his best to keep working his way through the large group of runners finishing in 35th. Next was 7th grader Daniel Beutler (57) 14:25. Leif Harris (15:16), Andrew Evens (15:57), Stewart Birch (17:20) and Axel Kollmann (17:56) closed it out.
Varsity racers consisted of just two 8th grade Cardinals. Medalist Reuben Uskoski finished 8th (11:53) and James Birch finished with a time of 13:30. “These student athletes have been working really hard. It’s wonderful watching them have success.” stated Coach Goodenough.
Cowboys Suffer Heartbreaking Loss
The North Gem Cowboys suffered their third loss of the season in dramatic fashion last Friday in Challis. The loss puts the Cowboys in a precarious position in the district standings. North Gem had hoped to come away with the win and put themselves in a potential winner-take-all situation in their final game of the season at Rockland. With the loss, the Cowboys’ remaining district matchups are all must-wins if they want to force a tiebreaker for the district title. In Friday’s game at Challis, the Cowboys showed up to play. North Gem controlled the line of scrimmage for the majority of the game. The Cowboys’ three headed running attack of Hatch, Yost and Welker seemed to have plenty of holes to hit to gain yardage. The Cowboys started off on offense after a short opening kickoff by the Vikings. North Gem ground the ball down the field, striking first with a short run from Yost followed by a two point conversion by Hatch. The Vikings answered back on their opening drive but failed on their conversion and the quarter ended with the score at 8-6.
The Cowboys then replicated their opening drive with another push down the field capped off with another short Yost run and successful conversion. The Cowboy defense then stepped up to the challenge and forced a turnover on downs. The Cowboy run offense continued to move the ball with ease as Hatch got into the scoring action running in a touchdown followed by a two point conversion and North Gem stretched the lead to 24-6. The Cowboy defense started to show some weaknesses on the next drive. A combination of penalties and big pass plays by the Vikings saw Challis get their second score of the game cutting the lead to 24-12 with just one and a half minutes left in the first half. With the time getting short Challis took the risk of kicking an onside kick. The kick rolled along the ground and bounced into Ryver Hayden’s arms, after which he took the ball all the way in for another Cowboy score and the half ended with North Gem leading 32-12. After a strong first quarter, the Cowboy secondary began to falter in the second and Challis took notice. Challis began an aerial attack and scored on their opening drive of the second half. The ensuing kickoff was a high shot kick that the Cowboys failed to cover and Challis immediately got the ball back with a short field. The North Gem defense was able to make another stand, however, and the ball went back to the Cowboys. North Gem began to move the ball down the field once again before the quarter came to an end with the Cowboys now
The Cowboys Can't Tame The Mustangs
Jody Reeves
leading 32-18.
Less than a minute into the fourth, the Cowboys struck again and increased the lead to 38-18. The failed two point conversion would prove costly at the end of the game. Challis went back to their passing attack on the next drive and were able to score and get their two point conversion cutting the lead to 38-26. On the kickoff the Vikings once again attempted an onside kick. This time the Vikings were successful in recovering the ball. Hatch was injured on the play and had to leave the game for the next play. With Hatch sidelined, the Vikings took advantage of the depleted secondary on their very first play of the drive, scoring on a deep pass and suddenly the score stood at 38-32. Challis once again attempted the onside kick, but this time Haydn Frandsen gathered the ball in and earned some return yards setting the Cowboys up in good field position with 6:49 left in the game. The methodical Cowboy run game took control of the game once again, eventually getting down to the seven yard line facing a third and six to go for a first down. On the next play Yost took the hand off down inside the one yard line to what appeared to be a Cowboy first and goal. However, a flag was thrown on the play and the Cowboys were called for unsportsmanlike conduct. There was some debate about where and when the penalty occurred, but the end result was the Cowboys getting marched back to the sixteen yard line facing a third and fifteen. Two plays later the Cowboys came up short of a first down or touchdown and turned the ball over on downs. With just 1:42 left in the game Challis drove the length of the field using their devastating pass attack and scored a touchdown with just twenty-five seconds left in the game. The Viking quarterback ran a sweep on the two point conversion and the Vikings took their first lead of the game. North Gem made a valiant attempt to answer back but ultimately ran out of clock losing the game 40-38.
The Cowboys, now with a record of 2-3, will face the co-op of Watersprings Christian and Clark County this week. This is a game they should win and will need to win to stay in the hunt for a district title.
The
Bob
Soda Girls
Lizzie Beutler (12) 20:09
India Galloway (15) 20:22
Ellie Wood (32) 21:06
Rosie Harris (81) 22:38
Rebekah Evans (83) 22:42
Gracie Modlenhauer (86) 22:48
Courtnee Gronning (137) 23:57
The Lady Cowboys volleyball team had a slower week last week with only one match on the schedule. That match was a home game against the Leadore Mustangs. Each team sits in the middle of the pack among their Rocky Mountain Conference opponents. A win for either team would help send them in an upward trajectory in the very large eleven team conference. Leadore came into the match as the slight favorite and they would hold that position throughout the competition. In the first set North Gem got behind early, getting down by the score of 5-12. North Gem then dug in their heels and made a valiant effort to get back into the game cutting the score to 11-14. From there the teams would each go on small runs as the Mustang lead would fluctuate between three to six points. Towards the end of the set the Cowboys once again dug down deep to try to get back in the game and got to within one point at 22-23. Following a Mustang timeout Ledore finished off the set winning 22-25. The second set would start off much the way the first ended with the
game staying close but North Gem unable to overcome a small Mustang lead. During this stretch Eliza Ball was a bright spot for the Cowboys with several great kills and blocks. Some good early passing in the second set would go awry around the midway point. The Mustangs began to find holes on the Cowboys side of the net where they were able to get the ball down into. The Mustangs were able to put up three or four points for every one of the Cowboys and took the set two win with a score of 1425. Some frustration combined with some mental errors would ultimately be the downfall of the Cowboys in this conference match. The third set never really was close with Leadore in full control throughout. The Mustangs scored the six final points of the set taking the win with a score of 9-25. The Cowboys looked good early on in this match but some panic and fundamental breakdowns doomed them in the end. They have the talent to match the Mustangs on the court and got their chance to prove so when they traveled to Leadore on Tuesday for a rematch. Check next week's edition to see how the Cowboys fared in that game.
The Bob Firman XC Invitational
Once again the Soda Springs Cardinals and the Grace Grizzlies both competed in the same cross country meet last week. This time both schools traveled to Eagle Island State Park in Eagle, Idaho to participate in the Bob Firman Invitational. The race’s namesake was a teacher at Borah high school for forty years and the school's head cross country coach for twenty-three years. Bob Firman was instrumental in bringing cross country to the state of Idaho. The race has become one of, if not the largest, high school races not only in Idaho but the entire pacific northwest. The course itself is fast while still maintaining a high level of difficulty. With changing surfaces and some short fast hills the course is challenging for the competitors. Soda Springs and Grace were both eager to run the course as it will be the site of this year's state championships.
With so many schools participating in the meet the varsity races were split into three separate divisions for both the girls and the boys. Grace and Soda Springs competed in the same division. In the boys race forty-eight teams competed. As a team Soda Springs placed a respectable fifteenth with Grace coming in at twenty-first place. Among 3A Idaho teams Soda did finish behind
West Side and Ririe leaving the Cardinals with some work to do. Where the Cardinals have an edge is in team spread time with the Cards having a first through fifth spread of one minute and twenty seven seconds. Among 1/2A Idaho teams Grace finished behind Rockland. The Grizzly men have some work to do if they want to win a district title over Rockland. For Grace their first through fourth runners actually have the edge but they need their fifth runner to shave off some time to come in above Rockland.
In the girls varsity race there were thirty-seven teams entered with Soda Springs finishing in an impressive fifth and Grace coming in tenth. Both teams did very well in this large meet. Grace was the top team among teams that they would face at districts and state while Soda Springs finished second among 3A teams behind only Ririe. With two hundred and eighty-eight competitors in their division Soda Springs had three girls finish in the top fifty and Grace had two finish in that same stretch. The two schools will continue to compete at the same meet when both Grace and Soda Springs will run in the Bob Conley Invitational on Thursday at the Portneuf Wellness Complex in Pocatello.
Firman XC Invitational Results
Soda Boys Landon Moldenhauer (39) 17:25
Degan Stoor (83) 18:11
Kage Kirby (93) 18:15
Jonathan Beutler (104) 18:24
Jaxson Horsley (144) 18:53
Dre Lloyd (145) 18:53
Austin Housley (171) 19:12
Grace Girls Cally Coleman (10) 20:05
Lily Coleman (42) 21:31
Kallie Stoddard (71) 22:23
Lilly Gilbert (76) 22:29
Breanna Heer (150) 24:19
Grace Boys Adrian Mejia (26) 17:06
Brock Johnson (90) 18:13
Colt Coleman (94) 18:16
Jonah Wilkerson (123) 18:43
Cutler Andersen (319) 22:24
Scottie Heer (344) 23:35
Jody Reeves
North Gem faced the Leadore Mustangs last week, a team with a similar record in the middle of the pack.
Cardinal Football Pride
Jody Reeves
The Soda Springs football team traveled to Malad last week to take on the Dragons during their homecoming. I could break down the game like I have been doing all season and give the play by play so that you the reader would know what took place in the game. I could talk to you about the Cardinals lone score in the game which was exciting due to a bobbled snap and a good catch and run by the running back. In the end the final result was much the same as the rest of the season has been. The Cardinals lost the game by the score of 35-6. To say the least, this year's season has been a frustrating one for Cardinal fans. The Cardinals are now on a thirteen game losing streak with three powerhouse teams still left on the schedule. So how did the Soda Springs football program get to this point? What went wrong? I cannot answer those questions but it is likely due to several different factors. What I will speak to in this article is where do we go from here?
Several readers will know that even
though I am a resident of Caribou County I do not live in Soda Springs. My children did not go to Soda Springs High School. I didn’t even grow up in Idaho. Some would still consider me a transplant even with being married to a local and living in the county for the past twenty years. Despite all of those facts, what I do know is Soda Springs has very loyal fans that are proud of who they are and where they are from. This is a must for a program to turn around so in that aspect we have a foundation to build on. Community support is crucial for any team to become a success. Talk to the athletes outside of games. Let them know that they are being seen and that people are proud of their work whether they win or lose. The power of positive affirmations on a young person is immeasurable. When a teen knows that adults have faith in their abilities their confidence grows as well as their potential.
Now some will argue that words cannot take an 0-5 team and have them win their final four games of the year. That may be true. As I mentioned earlier the remaining schedule for the Cardi-
Lady Cards Go 1-1 In District Games
For the second week in a row the Lady Cardinals faced off against two district opponents. Following a couple of disappointing losses to West Side and Declo, Soda Springs was hoping to turn things around last week when they faced Aberdeen and Malad. Their week started off at home against Aberdeen. The Tigers have struggled this season and have yet to scratch out a win. That did not change when they came to Soda last Wednesday. Soda Springs dominated the match all evening long. The Lady Cardinals never trailed and were only briefly tied once at three points a piece in the third set. Coach Cedar Johnson took advantage of the Cardinals superiority with going to her bench giving some of the younger girls an opportunity to get some varsity minutes. The Cardinals swept the Tigers in three sets winning by scores of 25-10, 25-12, and 25-7. Following the dominant win, Soda Springs had to travel to Malad the following day to take on the Lady Dragons. Malad currently sits in first place in the district, having already recorded wins over West Side, Wendell and Aberdeen. Malad is also the number two ranked team in the state according
nals is not one that anyone in the state would want at this point in the season. However, let's take a look at the makeup of the current roster of the Cardinal team. The vast majority of the players are sophomores and freshmen. In essence the Cardinals have been playing a varsity schedule with a jv squad. That is a tall order for any team. I think of my own sons who have gone through high school and the mental and physical changes that took place with them from ninth to twelfth grade. Those changes were huge. It is very difficult for any group of underclassmen to competitively play against teams of upperclassmen. So take a step back and think about what that must say about those younger players on the Cardinal team. The ones that know they have the deck stacked against them but are still willing to strap it on every week and go to battle. Just imagine being in their shoes. I don't know about you but I respect that kind of toughness. And what about that handful of juniors and seniors that are still with the team? It
would be easy to throw in the towel for them knowing what is coming up in the next few weeks but yet they remain. They lead their younger teammates out onto that field and stand with them as one. Give me those kids any day of the week. This year's team and how they choose to finish the season will set the tone for the Cardinal football program moving forward. On Friday the Cardinals will host a very tough and upset West Side team that just suffered their first loss of the season. Soda will be huge underdogs in this game and the Pirates may just dominate the scoreboard. But I won't be watching the score. Instead I will be focusing on the Cardinal players. If you get the chance I encourage you to head to the field Friday night and watch some honorable young men leave it all out on the field. And when the game ends try to make an effort to shake the hands of as many of them as possible while letting them know you appreciate their bravery and for playing with Cardinal Pride.
Lady Grizz End Drought
Jody Reeves
to last week's coaches poll. In short the Lady Cardinals had their hands full with the Dragons. Early in the first set, the Cardinals did their best to hang with the tough Dragon team. Following some good long rallies where Soda Springs had their moments of triumph and near the midway point of the set Malad began to pull away. The Cardinals finished the first set by getting outscored thirteen to three after having gotten to a score of 10-12. Unfortunately Soda Springs would not fare any better in the following two sets. The Lady Cardinals go down in this match in three sets with scores of 25-13, 25-9, and 25-10.
With October upon us and the district tournament looming the Cardinals will get a few more opportunities to grab some wins and momentum from district opponents. Their first chance will come on Wednesday in West Side. West Side won the first matchup this season but the Cards are not going to lie down for them this week. Ultimately the regular season wins and losses will only matter when it comes to district tournament seeding. However late season wins can boost a team's confidence as the competition will move to another level once tournament play begins.
The Grace Lady Grizzly volleyball team has had a rough month of September. With seven straight losses some may look at their record and think it's time to move on from this year's team and start looking to rebuild for next season. However, before you discard the Lady Grizzlies you have to look at their opponents during the month. With teams like 4A Bear Lake, 3A Malad, 1A Grace Lutheran, and district rival Butte County, the schedule has been full of juggernauts that are all ranked at or near the top of their respective classifications. One could even argue that it has been the most difficult stretch for any team in the state. There was also a pair of unranked teams in that stretch ,but they were not pushovers by any means. 3A Soda Springs is a very solid team that Grace took to four games with the three lost sets coming by just two or three points in each set. The one game that Grace would like to have back would be their five-set battle with Murtaugh. But again, it was a very tight battle throughout and was a road game for Grace. Even when playing a tough schedule where you are the underdog in nearly every match, going for a long stretch with no wins can be taxing on a team. In short the Grizzlies were desperate for a win and a win is just what they earned when they welcomed in Rich County High School last Thursday.
Rich County comes from Utah and has a school rule that teams cannot be excused prior to a set time of day. As a result the C-team and JV games as well as the varsity game were all scheduled at a later time of day than usual. With both of the early games going long, the varsity game began even later than its scheduled 8 o’clock start. During the team warm ups, you got the sense that the Lady Grizzlies were ready to put an end to their losing streak. They were coming out with high energy and intensity.
Once the game got started after an early tie at one point each, the Grizzlies exploded on offense and jumped out to a 15-5 lead. The reeling Rebels team called timeout at this point hoping to slow down the Grizzly attack. Out of the timeout, the Grizzlies continued to dominate the set, eventually winning
the open set 25-12. The second set would be much of the same with Grace racing out to a 7-0 lead before another Rebel timeout. The Grizzlies continued to roll after the timeout and easily won the second set 25-12. At this point, the Lady Grizzlies were ecstatic, playing with as much joy as they have had all season. Perhaps this is why the Grizzlies let their guard down a little in the third.
The teams traded blows and the game was tied at four points a piece. Rich County was able to gain a small advantage of two points and would hold that advantage for most of the set. The Grizzlies would battle back and tie the set at seventeen but fall flat for the rest of the set eventually falling in set three 1925. With the Rebels now playing with renewed confidence the Lady Grizzlies needed to respond in the fourth set. The Grizzlies answered the call and took off to a 10-5 lead. The Rebels would not go away however as they came back and got to within a point at 14-13. The rest of the set was a battle on every volley with the teams matching hits and blocks. Eventually the Grizzlies gained a small cushion getting up 23-20 with Rich calling a timeout. A few plays later Grace gave the ball to the Rebels with a 24-21 lead. The game came to a finish with an anticlimactic net serve by the Rebels and the Grizzlis celebrated a win for the first time in nearly a month. The Grizzlies next head to the Malad tournament this weekend where they no doubt will continue to see some tough competition.
There were certainly great plays and good moments for the Cards against Malad, although the score wouldn't reflect it.
The team played their hearts out, that much is certain.
Jody Reeves
Members of the Lady Cardinal Volleyball team prior to their dominant win over Aberdeen.
The Lady Grizzlies celebrate winning the match point in their game against Rich County.