The Idaho
And they’re off! Racing returns to Malad Valley
The annual parimutuel racing weekends returned to the Oneida County Fairgrounds on Saturday, and featured a full slate of races, as well as an Indian Relay demonstration that was a verified crowd-pleaser.
For two of the last three years, weather has wreaked unexpected havoc on the course, with downpours leading to unsafe racing conditions and canceled races. This year, the Board decided that safe was better than sorry and scheduled for three weekends of races, with this being the first. While the races were all run, it was a close call as rain indeed did descend on the valley Friday night, and threatened throughout the afternoon on Saturday.
In Saturday’s first race, a quarter horse maiden, Lm Concords Secret, ridden by Oscar Villa and owned by Dorian Montero came in first, followed by Jj Easter Bug owned by Geln and Jill Jamison and Gw Dusty Lane, owned by Gil Wright.
In the second race, a mixed paint and appaloosa futurity trial, Bg Winning Legacy ridden by Raphael Romero and owned by Bryan Grant took the first spot, followed by C&T Horses Ivory Moon, and Kent and Judy Taylor’s Kj Royal Blue.
The third race was also a mixed paint and appaloosa futurity trial, and saw Bg Vroom Vroom Broom ridden by Raphael Romero and owned by Bryan Grant come in first. Kj With Honors owned by Kent and Judy Taylor, and Gw Smokin Ivory owned by Gil Wright followed.
In the fourth race, a quarter horse futurity trial, Bittons Knud Romantz ridden by Never T. Marin and owned by Gordon Knudson came in first, followed by Efrain Acosta’s Paint the City and Mckinlee Kellett’s Hidden Version.
The fifth race, also a quarter horse futurity trial, was won by Be Capricho ridden by Jose Espinoza and owned by Benedito Estrada. Sheknowsshesmokn owned by Edward Jamison took second, followed by Prize Winning Chick owned by Five Livestock Company.
The sixth race, also a quarter horse futurity, was won by Rj Spicer ridden by Never Marin and owned by Jose Rico. Second went to Sheknowsshepunky owned by Edward Jamison, followed by Jv Kat Dancer owned by Tony Warburton and Brittani Richins.
The seventh race, a thoroughbred Allowance, was won by Thegreatgeneration ridden by Pedro Ortiz and owned by Gloria Ortiz. Second went to Maintainance Matt owned by Richard Semma, followed by Our Honey Bunny, owned by Bruce Hillman.
The Indian Relay race was held immediately after, and featured riders exchanging their positions with each other while in motion. Essentially, one rider jumps off the horse while another one leaps on, trying to make the exchange as fast and seamless as possible. The event is quick and exciting and those in attendance hope for more in the future.
Sunday’s races, which went forward despite some moisture over the previous evening, began with a quarter horse maiden, which was won by Gw Captain Kellee ridden by Jeremias Flores and owned by Gil Wright. Bnb Docs Highestcard, owned by Benedito Estrada, took second, followed by Racyboomboom owned by Kim Paulsen.
The second race, a quarter horse derby trial, saw Chianti owned by Randy Maldonado take first, and Lil Miss Coronado owned by W3 Farms and Larry Ward take second.
The third race, also a quarter horse derby trial, was won by Makin Chicks Move ridden by Oscar Villa and owned by Five Livestock Company, followed by Ricardo Castillo and Rainee Browning’s Dr. B, and Agapo Martinez’s MzPaquita.
The fourth race, another quarter horse derby trial, was won by Bnb Hasta La Luna ridden by Jose Espinoza and owned by Rainee Browning , followed by Ma-
ria Baltodano’s Bw Just a Ruger and Five Livestock’s Separate Kisses.
The fifth race, a quarter horse allowance, was won by Sketchy Politics, ridden by Jose Espinoza and owned by Ricardo Castillo and Rainee Browning. Second went to Javier Duarte’s Jesses Flys and third to NDN Running Stables’ Legendary Divo.
The final quarter horse allowance went to Leap Day, owned by Tyrrill Tsosie and ridden by Jesus Flores. Second went to Tyrrill Tsosie’s Contejas.
Sponsors for the event included Hansen Motors, Mountain Valley Realty, Hotel Malad, CJ’s Travel Stop, ATC Communications, Hess NAPA, Northwestern Mutual, Tooke and Associates, Keyhole Ranch, IFA, Bamma Wamma’s, Ireland Bank, Albert’s Service, Hess Pumice, Hess Lumber, Oneida County Fairboard, J Peak Propane, Thomas Electric, Hess Building Contractors, Semrad Service and Repair, Valley Implement, Mountain States Insurance Group, KJ’s Superstores, Oneida County Search and Rescue, Oneida County Sheriff’s Department, Ron Keller Tires, OK/J7 Ranch and Trucking, U.S. Bank, Redd Roofing, Up the Creek, Oneida Family Dental, Nell J. Redfield Memorial, Farm Bureau Kevin Degn, Malad Gun Club, Thomas Market, Kent’s Market, Malad Plumbing, Nimer Repair, Hess Truck Ag Auto, Ward Feed and Seed, Oneida Soil and Water Conservation, Chat N Chew, Rupp’s Trucking and Excavating, Mountain Valley Masonry, Vickers, Boyd Varney Family, Oneida County EMTs, Oneida County Employees, Malad Volunteer Fire Department, Blue Rock Enterprises.
Blankets for the races were sponsored by Oneida County Fairboard, Malad Gun Club, Boyd Varney Family, KJs, Silver Spur Insurance, U.S. Bank Malad, 3 R’s Country Tires, Central Service, Thomas Market, and Malad Plumbing.
The Leading Jockey and Leading Trainer Buckles were sponsored by the Oneida County Fairboard.
The Fairboard can breathe a momentary sigh of relief now that one set of qualifying races is officially in the books, and get ready for the next two weekends of racing action leading up to the start of the Oneida County Fair. The weather this year has proven to be anything but predictable, however, the best guess right now from the national services is that next weekend should be relatively clear and dry.
NEWS IN BRIEF
Friends identify a woman and two boys killed in Lake Powell accident Two 4-year-old boys, Gabriel Hart and Zeniff Cox, along with 72-yearold Missy Hayhurst Cox Bean died in a pontoon accident in Lake Powell on Friday, July 26. The National Park Service said, “The 25-foot privately owned pontoon vessel was being towed by another boater, when waves contributed to the towed vessel capsizing. Several of the eleven passengers became trapped under the overturned vessel”. Rangers responded and found one passenger on top of the pontoon, some in the water, and some unaccounted for. Two other passengers have been hospitalized, 7-year-old Audrey Cox, and Missy Bean’s husband, Roland Bean. The accident is still under investigation by local authorities and the National Park Service.
Officials confirmed humans caused the Bench Lake Fire, Redfish Lake starts reopening As of Monday the Bench Lake Fire is 85% contained and has burned 2,595 acres. The U.S. Forest Service confirmed the fire was human-caused. No further information was included in the release. Visitors must remain 300 feet away from the west bank shoreline in Redfish Lake to ensure public health and safety. This also allows firemen to be able to continue to work in the area. Now that the fire is reaching total containment some areas are reopening to the public. Redfish Lodge guests with prior reservations are now allowed to stay. Smoke is still affecting the area, but officials say a lot of the smoke in the region is coming from the Oregon and California fires.
Dollywood theme park floods
Thunderstorms through eastern Tennessee dumped rain and caused flash flooding in Dolly Parton’s theme park, Dollywood. According to officials one person was injured. Dollywood Parks and Resorts said, "With the assistance of Pigeon Forge Police and Fire Departments, park personnel directed guests to safety during the storm. At this time, one minor injury has been reported”. Dollywood was scheduled to reopen at 12:00 p.m. on Monday. The park is giving tickets to Sunday’s guests for admission on Monday, or providing rain checks for a future visit.
Plans announced for medical school at BYU The first presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints announced that Brigham Young University will be getting its own medical school. The school will focus on international health issues that affect the church’s members. The church said, “It is envisioned that unlike many medical schools, the BYU medical school will be focused on teaching with research in areas of strategic importance to the church”.
The track stayed dry for an afternoon of racing, the first of three planned weekends.
New for this year, the Fair Board brought in Indian Relay races, which were a big hit.
Even Royalty can use a second chance, in this case, a second chance drawing.
Little League weekend overcomes weather extremes
There are always a lot of challenges in putting on a major event, especially one with a storied history and large roster of visitors to account for. In his first full year of running the Malad Little League Tournament (the oldest continuously running one in the state!), Travis Arnout had expected weather to be a potential issue. Maybe end a game early. Maybe bring out the ponchos for a few minutes. Maybe close the dunk tank. But weather was much more of a factor than that as this year’s tournament got underway. Whether a helicopter has been used to dry the base paths of a Little League infield before or not is unknown, but it can no longer be said to NOT have happened. As convoluted as that sentence was, the clarity of a helicopter rotor rippling the grass of a playfield in the early morning is undeniable, and after a twenty or so minute visit from Mike Hess, the field was dry enough to begin the day’s play. Over the course of the weekend, a number of hard fought games between teams from the area—Twin Falls, Cache Valley, Burley, and of course Malad—kept the hundreds of visiting fans busy. After Thursday’s weather, Arnout realized he would probably have to expedite the schedule in order to avoid running into any potential weather-related problems in getting all the games in. To his credit, the rearranged schedule managed to just barely beat out the lightning, wind, and rain that once again descended on the valley Saturday evening.
The three Malad teams all played hard and put out a great effort, but ultimately did not make it through to the final contests in the bracket, which saw two Viper teams go head to head in one bracket, and the Blue Sox face off against the Green Sox in the other.
A water dunk tank was on scene, giving eager throwers the chance to dunk members of the Oneida County School District, as well as their friends and teammates. Some of the other planned events, such as the homerun derby, had to be curtailed in order to make sure that the planned games were able to be played before the weather prevented it from happening, which it nearly did.
Games were played on the fields at City Park as well as Pioneer Park behind the elementary. The extent to which the new baseball and softball complex across from the high school will affect the scheduling and space at the tournament is not yet known, but it should provide more options and potentially expand the pool of teams able to be hosted. As the historic tournament that it is, both the City of Malad and supporters of youth baseball are committed to making sure that the tournament is able to continue with the strong support that it has received in the past.
Though unpredictable rain, wind, and lighting are likely to be issues off and on in the coming years, the tournament itself should certainly be able to weather them and remain an anticipated spot on the sports calendar.
Louis Brock plans for Horseshoe Nationals
When Louis Brock started pitching horseshoes over forty years ago, he was one of the young guys. “I was eighteen and they were fifty,” Brock laughs, talking about some of his early horseshoe friends from the Pleasantview area. In the time since then, many of the individuals from those days have since passed on and the popularity of horseshoes has been somewhat supplanted by cornhole and pickleball. Not for Brock, though.
He recently came in 2nd in a tournament in Washington Terrace, Utah with a 4-1 showing and a 17 percent ringer rate. He earned another 2nd place at tournament at Pocatello’s Ross Park, with 15 percent ringers.
“I used to be up around fifty percent ringers, but now I’m around fifteen most of the time,” Brock says.
While the overall prevalence of horseshoes as a competitive game and a reliable backyard sport isn’t what it was decades ago, among those who play it it’s as big as it ever has been. In fact, while this year’s National Horseshoe Pitchers Association World Tournament will be held in Tri-Cities, Washington, next year’s premier event will take place even closer to home, just down the road in Salt Lake City.
Although the technology of protecting horse’s against injury through the use of “shoes” dates to at least the second century B.C. game of “quoits” played by ancient Greeks, there is scattered evidence of discarded horseshoes having been used for recreation in many places where cavalry was in abundance. Unsurprisingly, tales of shoe pitching follow along with military campaigns, just as the collection of discarded shoes tended to follow the military procession. The NHPA points to historical mentions of the game in wars through the American Revolutionary War, but dates the true competitive form of the sport to Union camps during the
Civil War. The first recorded “World Tournament” was held in Bronson, Kansas in 1910, and from there the sport spread and the rules became established.
There have been attempts to get horseshoe pitching into the Olympics as a competition sport (rather than an exhibition) for many decades, but they have been hampered by the rule that a qualifying Olympic sport must show at least 17 counties with active groups involved in the sport. At present, the number is less than 10.
Nonetheless, pitching has a special spot in the heart of Americans, where the sport was officialized, and Westerners, where the sport is still commonly played. The locations of the World Tournament tend to bear this out, and a Sunday barbeque with country relatives might add evidence to the argument.
The Enterprise wishes Brock well on his trip to Salt Lake next year, and his continued firekeeping for an iconic sport.
Local pitcher Louis Brock hopes to journey to nationals next year in Salt Lake.
The clouds brought with threats of rain.
One of Malad’s teams, the 9-10 All-star team coached by Keith Blaisdell.
Some quick help from Mike Hess got the base paths dried out by late morning.
Despite the final results, all three of Malad’s teams played hard through the weekend.
A small rest, waiting for Saturday’s game gets closer.
Girl Scouts plant flowers for service project
The Girl Scouts of Malad/Oneida County met on Friday, May 24th to plant flowers for LeGrande Aqua Plunge. This has been an annual community service project for the Girl Scouts for the past several years. The girls broke into sets of 2 or 3 and each got to pick which flowers they wanted to include in their pot. Lau-
ra Dickerson talked to the girls about what to look for when choosing plants and best planting practices. The pots were then dropped off at the pool with Kami Willie and Heather Howe just before the pool opened. With the loving care of the pool staff, they are growing and thriving.
Daisy Girl Scouts (K-1) Addison Zahn (L) and Jane Bell (R) dropped off 28 boxes of Girl Scout cookies with Malena Jimenez at Carol’s Pantry. The Daisy troop used any donations received during cookie sales earlier this year to purchase boxes for the local food pantry. Addison and Jane were the top cookie sellers for the 2024 season with 291 boxes (Zahn) and 261 boxes (Bell). This was the first year selling cookies for both
Olympic Recap
Nearly a week into the 2024 Paris Olympics and Team USA is leading in the medal count. With 20 medal finishes already secured, the prospects of a dominating finish is looking good. Here are the highlights of all the excitement happening for Team USA across all the events that are taking place.
The first Team USA medal was earned by Kassidy Cook and Sarah Bacon in Saturday’s 3-meter synchronized springboard competition at the Aquatics Centre. The American duo scored 314.64 points to earn the silver placing, the first US medal in team diving since 2012
Team USA has continued its rivalry in the pool with Australia as the two teams lead out with total wins. However, Team USA pulled ahead Monday, July 29 to take a commanding lead- 11 medals to Australia’s 6. Contributing to Team USA’s tally are Ryan Murphy’s bronze in 100m backstroke (his 7th olympic medal), Katie Grimes silver medal in the 400m Individual Medley with teammate Emma Weyant following to win the bronze, Luke Hobson’s bronze medal with PR of 1:44.79 in the 200m free, Katie Ledecky with a bronze in the 400m free s and Carson Foster with the bronze finish in the 400m Individual Medley.
Winning silver for Team USA was Nic Fink in the 100m breaststroke, Gretchen Walsh in the 100m Butterfly, and the Women’s 4 x 100m freestyle relay team. Torri Huske’s elite performance in the 100m butterfly earned
Girl Scout Council of Silver Sage provided 30 cases (360 boxes of cookies) to Girl Scout Service Unit Manager Kristy Zahn for donation in Oneida County. 15 cases were delivered to the Oneida County Senior Center with Laura Maxfield. The last 15 cases were delivered to Carol’s Pantry with Malena Jimenez. Luckily the cookies freeze well, and will be a great addition to senior meals and food pantry options. A new year of Girl Scouts will start in October. If you have a school aged girl interested in joining, please email maladgirlscouts@gmail.com or find us on Facebook at Malad Girl Scouts.
L-R: Annabelle Shandrew, Zaira Hamilton, Laura Maxfield, Olivia
her a gold medal placing as well as the Men’s 4 x 100m freestyle relay team.
Team USA’s third gold medal was won by Lee Kiefer in the women’s foil individual fencing event, making her the first USA woman to win gold at two consecutive Olympics. Teammate Lauren Scruggs secured the silver medal in her Olympic debut. The two competitors look to team up in the team fencing event, a finish that is surely worth watching for. In the men’s fencing division, Nick Itkin won the bronze medal in the individual foil.
The Men’s gymnastics team stepped up to win the bronze medal, the first medal since 2008. Their final performance began with a stellar routine by Brody Malone on the rings and was clinched by Stephen Nedoroscik as he crushed his final routine on the pommel horse.
Team USA’s cycling team won their best medal ever as Haley Batten earned the silver in the women’s Cross-country event despite a punctured tire partway through the race. Chloe Dygert added a bronze medal in road cycling to the count as well, battling through a slick, rainy day in Paris that caused several cyclists to fall, including her.
Jagger Eaton and Nyjah Huston added a silver and bronze medal, respectively, to the medal table in men’s Street skateboarding. Both competitors had the gold medal in their sights but without landing their final tricks, they unfortunately came up short.
While they haven’t yet competed in
the final medaling games, a number of USA teams are working through their brackets with high hopes of a gold medal. The women’s rugby team is nothing short of fierce as they have dominated the field. With their 17-7 finish over Great Britain, they look to play New Zealand, the 2020 gold medal winner.
Team USA beat Germany 4-1 to advance to the quarterfinals, playing next on Saturday, August 3. In their two wins, striker Mallory Swanson has put in three of their seven goals, proving what a vital asset she is to the team effort.
In their first game of the Olympics, the women’s basketball team won with an overwhelming lead of 102-76 over Japan. Thursday the team will take on Belgium before playing Germany on Sunday to finish out their pool play. The top two teams from each pool will advance to the single elimination tournament that will begin Wednesday, August 7.
Team USA’s beach volleyball duos have both advanced with 2-0 wins. The women’s beach volleyball team of Sara Hughes and Kelly Cheng defeated the Czech Republic in their first match of the Paris Olympics while the men’s team of Miles Evans and Chase Budinger took the win over France. All eyes are on Team USA’s gymnastics team of Simone Biles, Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey and Hezly Rivera who are the heavy favorites to win gold after a dominant qualifying round. Beginning with routines on the vault, they lead the competition with a commanding lead that they are unlikely to relinquish in their Tuesday competition. With events happening around the clock, the Paris Olympics are a nonstop show of elite athleticism. Team USA is proving that they are once again a force to be reckoned with. To stay up to date on the medal count go to https:// olympics.com/en/paris-2024/medals.
HELP WANTED
We are looking to hire an Office Assistant. Must be dependable, organized, detail oriented, have basic computer skills, and be an excellent communicator. The starting pay for this position will be $13/hr for 15-20 hours a week. Applications can be picked up at Ward’s ACE & Country Store 65 North 300 East in Malad.
L-R: Kami Willie, Zaira Hamilton, Annabelle Shandrew, Addison Zahn, Madeline Shandrew, Autumn Donnan, Paige Donnan, Jane Bell, Olivia Shandrew, Heather Howe.
Shandrew, Madeline Shandrew
girls.
One of the beautiful pots of flowers planted by the Girl Scouts.
Laura Wilkerson helps the Girl Scouts pot flowers for the Aqua Plunge.
Back-to-School Shoppers
May Get a Recess from Inflation
As families prepare for the 20242025 school year, forecasters are penciling in a drop in back-to-school spending. Total K-12 spending is expected to decline from $41.5 billion in 2023 to $38.8 billion this year, with back-to-college spending falling from $94 billion to $86.6 billion, according to the National Retail Federation.
Families stocking up on school essentials plan to shell out an average of $875 for primary and secondary school students and $1,365 for college students, the NRF reports. That’s slightly down from $890 and $1367, respectively, in 2023.
The projected dip may be a sign of weakening consumer demand coupled with slowing inflation. Overall prices dropped from May to June for the first time since the start of the pandemic. And over the past 12 months, wage growth has outpaced inflation. Average unadjusted weekly earnings grew 4% over the past year, compared to 3% annual inflation. This means families are finally regaining some of the purchasing power lost to pandemic-era inflation.
When it comes to back-to-school expenditures, you might notice greater price relief in what you pay for goods — physical items like textbooks, computers and smartphones — compared to the cost of services — intangible offerings like tuition and haircuts. That’s because goods prices have largely stabilized, while service prices continue to climb.
Some examples of services that have become more expensive over the past year include elementary and high school fees, daycare and preschool tuition, and haircut prices, according to Consumer Price Index data. Meanwhile, goods like smartphones, computers, children’s shoes and college textbooks have gotten cheaper.
Will the cooling prices of early summer continue? If so, back-toschool shoppers may get a longer recess from inflation. The July Consumer Price Index, which will be released on Aug. 14, will provide more insight. If the index continues to slow, it would be a strong case for the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates in the next few months.
Here are a few ways to sharpen your budgeting skills and help keep back-to-school spending in check: Make a plan. Before you hit the stores or shop online, have a clear idea of what you need and how much you want to spend. Budget for the big picture. Don’t budget for each item individually. Instead, decide what your child will need and pick a dollar amount to cap your overall spending. Involve children. Use back-toschool shopping as an opportunity to teach kids about budgeting. Letting children have a say in shopping decisions can help them learn invaluable money lessons.
Robert Spendlove is senior economist for Zions Bank, a division of Zions Bancorporation, N.A.
Jedd and Mandi Ward are pleased to announce the marriage of their daughter Ella Jo to Jeffrey Fuhriman, son of Rod and Krissie Fuhriman of Danville, California. They will be sealed August 3, 2024 in the Logan, Utah Temple.
Jeffrey and Ella met at BYU-I the fall of 2020. They dated for a year prior to serving missions for the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Jeffrey served in the Dominican Republic and Ella served in the Portland, Oregon mission. They are both currently enrolled at BYU-I and will make their home in Rexburg while they continue their education.
The couple invites everyone to a reception on Saturday, August 3rd from 6:30-9:00 pm at 530 North 600 West in Malad.
Research shows Great Salt Lake emitting more carbon dioxide
Not only does the shrinking Great Salt Lake impact wildlife and expose Utahns to toxic dust, it’s also a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. That’s according to new research from the Royal Ontario Museum, which published a study last week that found the dry lakebed emitted about 4.1 million tons of greenhouse gases in 2020 alone, most of it carbon dioxide.
By comparison, Utah as a whole emitted about 59 million tons of carbon dioxide in 2016, according to the University of Utah’s Kem C. Gardner Institute. While burning fossil fuels is the largest contributor to human-caused greenhouse gas emissions, the largest terrestrial source — meaning it comes from the earth — is soil. A study published earlier this year in the Institute of Physics’ science journal found that about 80% of the world’s terrestrial carbon is stored in soil.
Drought causes soil to dry and crack, a process called desiccation, which can lead to increased respiration (the release of carbon dioxide). Cracking can also expose deeper and older stores of carbon dioxide in the soil.
That’s essentially the scenario researchers found on the Great Salt Lake — as the lake recedes and exposes more dry lakebed, desiccation increases. According to the study, the drying lake is equivalent to a roughly 7% increase in Utah’s total human-caused greenhouse gas emissions.
“Human-caused desiccation of Great Salt Lake is exposing huge areas of lake bed and releasing massive quantities of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere,” said researcher Soren Brothers.
“The significance of lake desiccation as a driver of climate change needs to be addressed in greater detail and considered in climate change mitigation and watershed planning.”
Between April and November 2020, researchers measured carbon dioxide and methane emissions from exposed sediment on the Great Salt Lake, comparing the findings with the estimated release of greenhouse gases from the water. The measurements pointed to a release of about 4.1 million tons of greenhouse gases, 94% of it carbon dioxide.
“These analyses showed that the original lake was not likely a significant source of greenhouse gasses to the atmosphere, making the dried-up lake bed a novel driver of atmospheric warming,” the study reads.
The lake hit its historic low point of 4,188.5 feet in November 2022. Since then, two above-average winters brought increased runoff to the lake, with levels as of Monday at about 4,193.7 feet in the south arm.
The north arm, which is typically lower and saltier due to the railroad causeway that restricts the flow of fresh water, is at about 4,192 feet.
The state defines a “healthy” range for the lake between 4,198 to 4,205 feet.
• To avoid further restrictions, do not water every day.
• This applies to both Deep Creek and City Culinary Water.
• The only exception to the hours will be given to owners who have sprinkling systems with timers.
• No open hoses are allowed on the Deep Creek System. Fines will be given in accordance to Malad City Ordinance No. 443.
Kyle Dunphey, Idaho Capital Sun
BIRTHDAYS
Janice Thomas, Aug. 2
Todd Thomas, Aug. 2
Helen Ward, Aug. 2
Colter Christophersen, Aug. 3
Scott Crowther, Aug. 3
Patty Peterson, Aug. 3
Dan Blaisdell, Aug. 4
Jess Blaisdell, Aug. 4
Quinn Eliason, Aug. 4
Tyrell Hubbard, Aug. 4
Rex Lippold, Aug. 4
Amy Isaacson, Aug. 5
Don Buehler, Aug. 5
Lael Christophersen, Aug. 5
Lynette Cornia, Aug. 5
Shannon Davis, Aug. 5
Jake Jensen, Aug. 5
Timothy Jensen, Aug. 5
Greg Lamb, Aug. 5
Don Schwartz, Aug. 5
Tim Thorpe, Aug. 5
Tom Thorpe, Aug. 5
Sadie Crowther, Aug. 6
Jake Davis, Aug. 7
Nick Gugelman, Aug. 7
Leisa Lamb, Aug. 7
David Richards, Aug. 7
Sharon Stephens, Aug. 7
Taya Thorpe, Aug. 7
David Parry Evans, IV, Aug. 8
Shae Neal, Aug. 8
ON THIS DAY
1820 London Bridge across the Thames opens to traffic
1855 Castle Garden in NYC (now known as Castle Clinton) opens as first U.S. receiving station for immigrants
1867 Blacks vote for first time in a U.S. state election in the South (Tennessee)
1900 The first Michelin Guide is published by the brothers Édouard and André Michelin as a hotel and restaurant reference guide to encourage more road travel and thus boost tire sales (exact date beyond Aug 1900 unknown)
1911 Harriet Quimby passes her pilot’s test and becomes the first U.S. woman to earn an Aero Club of America aviator’s certificate
1941 The first Jeep is produced
1944 Anne Frank’s last diary entry; 3 days later she is arrested
1969 Mariner 6 sends close-up photos of Mars
1971 “The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour” debuts on CBS-TV, with comic actor and singer Jimmy Durante as guest
1971 Richard Petty wins the Dixie 500 in Atlanta, Georgia to become the first NASCAR driver to win $1 million in career earnings
1996 George R.R. Martin publishes the epic fantasy novel “A Game of Thrones”, the first in his series “A Song of Ice and Fire”
2000 First patient to receive the Jarvik 2000, the first total artificial heart that can maintain blood flow in addition to generating a pulse
CLASSIFIEDS
MAIELI’S THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE – Neck or Whiplash Issues or for just a great massage. Call Maieli Murray (626) 337 - 0772 (1-52)
ANNOUNCEMENTS, MALAD AA/NA MEETINGS, Tuesday and Thursday at 8:00 p.m., Saturday, 7:00 p.m., Call: Rick M. 208-7663584; Gary B. 435-230-3734; Jack H. 208-830-7371; or Kirk S. 208241-2297; or AA Hotline 208-2351444. (1-52)
Curlew Senior Citizens’ Menu
Every meal served with Juice/ Milk/Coffee
NEWS OF RECORD
ONEIDA COUNTY SHERIFF’S
OFFICE
Ivan Barreto, Malad, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50
Kristen L Beckstead, Preston, speeding $33.50, costs $56.50
Warren Coppedge, Dalton, operate motor vehicle with Idaho suspension/revocation on valid out-of-state license, $100.00, costs $56.50
Curt Elcock, Malad, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50
Jimmy Wayne Flowers, Hesperia, fail to provide proof of insurance, $75.00, costs $56.50
David Leroy George, Murray, speeding (16 mph or over), $98.50, costs $56.50
Brian R Gledhill, Malad, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50
Robert Jones, Tremonton, speeding,
$33.50, costs $56.50
Trevor Jones, Malad, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50
Shauna M Nalder, Malad, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50
Nancy Panting, Malad, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50 IDAHO STATE POLICE
Samantha Dawn Espinoza, Layton, speeding (16 mph or over), $98.50, costs $56.50
Joanna Arlene Kendro, Thornton, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50 MAGISTRATE COURT
Dylan David Kilby, Magna, driving without privileges, $150.00, costs $207.50, 30 days jail, 30 days suspended, 12 months probation – Agency: ISP
Bikramjit Singh Parmar, Calgary, violates the limitations or conditions of a special permit, $68.50, costs $157.50
e Idaho Enterprise P.O Box 205 Malad City, Idaho 83252-0205 (U.S.P.S. -- 255-800)
The Idaho Enterprise is published weekly at 100 East 90 South, Malad City, Idaho. Postmaster, please mail address corrections to: The Idaho Enterprise, P.O. Box 205, Malad City, Idaho 83252-0205.
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Subscription rates are strictly in advance -- $55.00 per year delivered in Oneida County, and $67.00 per year delivered outside of Oneida County within the United States. The Idaho Enterprise reserves the right to refuse publication of any or all materials.
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Editor
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Phone: 208-766-2419
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Aug. 6 - Tamales, Spanish Rice, Breadstick, Fruit, Dessert
Aug. 8 - Hamburger Casserole, Green Beans, Roll, Fruit, Dessert
ANNOUNCEMENTS, MALAD ALANON - We are only a phone call away. For information on meetings, call 208-220-5295 or 208-251-9808. (1-52)
Malad Senior Citizens’ Menu
Every meal served with Juice/ Milk/Coffee
Aug. 2 - French Dip Sandwiches, Spinach Salad, Fresh Fruit, Dessert
Aug. 7 - Beef Stroganoff, Peas, Peaches, Dessert
Grandparents Only
By Gramma Dot
I am an iRobot fan. I have about run the wheels off “Rumba” as she is affectionately called at our house. When we got her, robot vacuums were pretty straight forward…no app that needed downloading, or if there was one, we didn’t use it and she worked just fine. We always worked together. I’d turn her on and then run ahead putting chairs on the table, moving things off the floor, and setting the laser beam to keep her out of areas I didn’t want vacuumed that day. When she finished, I religiously emptied her bin and helped her get docked so she could recharge.
Docking was getting more difficult. Her charging plates weren’t lining up like they were supposed to, and I would often find her with no energy when it was time to clean. She reminded me of myself. So, when my birthday and Amazon Prime Day rolled around together, I strongly hinted to Brent that Rumba needed some help. We now have “Hazel,” a generation younger than Rumba, therefore her daughter.
Hazel has more bells and whistles. I spent the first day downloading the app, scanning the QR code and turning her loose to map the house. It took her a couple hours. She’s a nosy little thing and wanted into every nook and cranny.
After Hazel mapped the house, I had to work out her schedule. I went to the app, identified the rooms on the map and set up a timetable so every area on the main floor (she doesn’t do stairs) gets
vacuumed every other day. So far, she has been on time and hasn’t docked till the job is done. There are still details I need to work out like identifying “no work zones” and emptying the bin.
Let me tell you what I have learned about dumping the bin. Brent was on the phone when Hazel docked and was sitting next to her. I went to the app to see what my responsibilities were once she had finished. Remember, this generation is all new to me and I didn’t have a clue how to clean her bin. Well, right there on the app was a bar which said, “Empty bin.” I tapped it. There was a ROAR. It sounded like the test missiles out at Thiokol back in the day. Something was taking off! Brent who was right there about took off himself. It certainly surprised him and whoever he was talking to on the phone. Luckily, dumping only takes a few seconds and then the roar geared down to silence, and we were normal again.
So, there’s a new kid in the house. She is full of surprises and it’s going to take a little time to get used to her. I’m moving Rumba downstairs, but I’ll see her every few days when we work together. Life is Good when Rumba and Hazel have you covered upstairs and down.
Side note: Hazel just started cleaning and it is not scheduled. She is a little too passionate about her job and has more energy than she needs. Sounds like the Grandkids!
BRAIN TEASERS
LOOKING BACK
5 YEARS AGO (2019)
The Malad American Legion baseball team claimed the District Championship last week during three days of games in Twin Falls. The tournament was held Monday through Wednesday, July 22-24. With the win, the team qualified for the state tournament. Malad won the Single-A Area C tournament title, entering the tournament as the fourth seeded team.
The Malad High School softball team participated in a fun activity on Tuesday, July 23rd, to help prepare for the 2020 season. The Lady Dragons took part in “Softball Olympics”, under the direction of new Head Coach Christie Schow
There were several different events from the players to compete in during the Olympics. Events included distance throwing, accuracy throwing, fielding grounders (as many as they could in a minute and a half) and making a good throw to second base, catching fly balls, and a home run derby with baseballs.
The Malad Dragons, a 10U traveling team, was crowned the Minor League (10 and under) Tournament Champions on Saturday, July 27, at the conclusion of the 61st annual Malad Little League Tournament. this three-day event was held at the Malad City Park.
10 YEARS AGO (2014)
Only two weeks away, the Oneida County Fair and Rodeo will be here before you know it. Fair Board members work hard for an entire year to put on these two events, along with the pari-mutuel horse racing which starts this weekend, and Charley Jenkins in concert here in Malad on August 13.
Malad hosted both the 56th Annual Malad Little League Baseball Tournament as well as the Malad Invitational Softball Tournament during the weekend of July 24 – 26.
Both tournaments were under the direction of Jaime Olsen, softball and baseball director for the Oneida Recreation program. She called on the assistance of many community members to help her run two tournaments at the same time. Both tournaments were very successful. Many teams and fans plan to return for next season’s tournament.
Representing the Oneida County office of the USDA Farm Service Agency, Kim Jenkins came before the commissioners with a report about the designated drought status of Oneida County and what is available to the county due to the designation.
Malad High School now has a girls’ soccer team. This is the first high school girls’ soccer team in school history. Last spring, the Oneida School Board approved girls’ soccer team for the high school. The team is self-funded.
15 YEARS AGO (2009)
Reigning over Samaria Days are the 2009 Samaria Royalty. They are Terrie Valentine, Queen; Olivia Sands, Princess; and Alecia Sylvester, Duchess.
Former Maladite, Leeann Holgate Whiffen, was among those recognized during a special ceremony at home plate just before the start of the Salt Lake Bees game. The community members were honored for their lives, work, and advocacy on behalf of the 54.6 million people living with disabilities in the United States during Disability Awareness Night.
Kenneth Scott Nimer completed his certified Flight Instructor, Instrument Rated Training (CFH) at Mountain Ridge Helicopters in Logan, Utah. He is the son of David and Lucinda Nimer.
University of Idaho graduates more than 1,300 students this spring. Two from Malad received their degrees. Terri Sorensen earned an education specialist in education leadership and Mariko Hernandez earned a bachelor’s of science degree in business finance.
The Slammers, Malad’s 18 and under softball team, recently completed in another tournament for the summer. This team includes Amy Hatch, Kayla Thomas, Mechelle Hill, Sadie Sweeten, Meagen Lish, Abbie Lewis, Katrina Martin, Laci Lavaka, Amber Neal, Madi Jones, and Melissa Winward. They are coached by
Justin Howe and Scott Ray.
The annual Ben Williams Award was presented this year to two players who finished their Little League careers as part of the Malad Major League All-Stars. Brody Hubbard and Tanner Lewis were both presented with an award in honor of Ben Williams by the Williams family for excelling at the game of baseball. 20 YEARS AGO (2004)
Kathy Evans of Malad, will be competing in the 2004 Miss Idaho National Pre-Teen Program, to be held in Pocatello. The Miss National Pre-Teen Program is a program that awards girls ages 9-12 for their accomplishments in academics and achievements, interview, gown presentation and personality projections.
Samantha Daniels, the seven-yearold daughter of Darin and Shawna Daniels, donates her two 11 1/2” ponytails to Locks of Love.
Tricia Danielson was sworn in as the newest member of the Oneida School Board along with Sherrie Johnson, who begins her second term.
The Malad City Little League Major League team took the Championship at the recent Shelley tournament. The team included Cody Hess, Jeremy McClellan, Chris Hess, Skylar Thorpe, Bubba Crump, Jordan Schwartz, Jacob Ihler, Kaden Goddard, Brady Daniels, Braeden Anderson, Brayden Hill. Coaches were Brooks Thorpe, Jerry Goddard and Kirk Hill.
Captain Erik Knutsen recently returned from Amman, Jordan. While there Erik participated in a six-day course on the culture of Iraq.
The Prince and Princess of “Samaria Daze” is Jace Hill, son of Suzanne and Kacey Hill and Megan Jolley, daughter of Blaine and Tonya Jolley.
30 YEARS AGO (1994)
The Malad City Council has spelled out a red alert for residents to be more conscious of conserving water. Mayor Terrill Schwartz said the city’s Deep Creek water consumption increased dramatically in recent weeks. “We were averaging 1.4 million gallons a day and went to over 2 million gallons a day,” he said. “At this rate we’ll have all our water used by early August.”
David L Evans took the oath of office as a trustee of the Oneida School Board. Evans was re-elected to another four-year term.
David Ross Waldron, Samaria, Idaho, completed requirements for a master of science degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Utah State University. He is the son of Barbara S. Waldron of Malad and the late Robert W. Waldron.
Mike Bercier brings home his first trophy at the Pocatello Super Speedway with his 1973 blue Chevelle. The Chevy has a small bloc 350 engine. Hailing from Aberdeen, Mike came to Malad soon after his graduation from high school and works at Hess Pumice.
40 YEARS AGO (1984)
A crowd of 150 people gathered on the sidewalk in front of First Bank
and Trust’s new main office at the intersection of S. Main and East 50 South to observe the ribbon cutting ceremony officially dedicating the building. President and Chairman of the Board, Lawrence Jones and his wife, Marie, performed the ribbon cutting honors, which marked the first official day of business for the bank’s new facility.
Sheldon Jensen is “sworn in” by Clerk Dale Hawkins, as a member of the Malad School District Board of Trustees. He was re-elected to serve as chairman of the board. Also, Alden Neal recites the oath as he is sworn to another term of office. He will continue to serve as vice-chairman.
Bonnie Davis, a resident of St. John, has recently joined the staff at The Idaho Enterprise. Bonnie is also featured in the “Cooking Corner”.
The Malad’s Fighting Welsh team competed at the Jim Bridger competition held at the Utah State Campus under the direction of Coach Mike Hess. Those competing were: Max Neal, Allen Edwards, Velma Lee Hess, Kim Hess, Lisa Atkinson, Mike Atkinson, Tom Jenkins, Farrel Jenkins, Teresa Baker, Teri Daniels, Dan Daniels, Ronda Neal, Denace Hess, Teresa Daniels, Dave Gilgen, Burke Baker, Don Hubbard and Jeff Daniels. Malad’s Fighting Welsh defeated Wellsville by a score of 115 to 94. The Fighting Welsh won eight out of fifteen events and tied for two.
Malad High School Cheerleaders attended the National Cheerleaders Association Summer workshop in Pocatello. Those attending were Debbie Christensen, Stacy Baker, Jennifer Ward, Alina Marble, Cindy Winward, Paula Madsen and Tricia Hill.
50 YEARS AGO (1974)
Miss Deanna Zivkovic, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Zivko Zivkovic, has recently been offered a position with the Church Building Offices, Real
Estate Division, in Frankfurt, Germany. Frankfurt is the LDS Church headquarters in Europe for Church program organization, translation, and distribution.
A star badge was awarded Mark Jensen and first class badges to Steve Jones and Kerry Jensen, at a Boy Scout of Honor from troop 422. Merit badges were earned by Jeff Daniels, Peter Thomas, Shawn Thomas, Shane Thomas, Glen Gillies, Bart Fuhriman, Dan Thomas, Lewis Anderson, Brad Hess, Kerry Jensen, David Zivkovic, Brooks Thorpe, Craig Sorenson, Steve Jones and Mark Jensen.
About 250 tons of first crop hay was destroyed in a lightning-caused fire at the Spencer Atkinson farm in Samaria. Also destroyed in the blaze were several corrals.
Earlier in the month spontaneous combustion was thought to be the cause of a fire that destroyed 137 tons of hay at the LaVerne Hughes farm in St. John, and also destroyed several farm buildings.
Billy Henrie, who is stationed at the Naval Base at Norfolk, Virginia and was recently promoted to Aviation Metalsmith Third Class, is spending a month’s leave at the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Veryl Henrie. Bishop and Mrs. Gordon Crowther entertained at a patio supper for their son, Bob, who recently returned home from serving a two year LDS Mission in West Germany.
Malad is runner-up for 6th District title in Legion baseball. Team members are Scott Blaisdell, Kirk Allen, Brent Jones, Steve Edwards, Arne Jones, Craig Thompson, Kevin Blaisdell, Doug John, Scott Alder, Kim Hess and Brad Atkinson.
60 YEARS AGO (1964)
Norman Evans won the grand prize in the beard-growing contest sponsored by the Malad Jaycees during the Centennial celebration. He also was named as having the “Most colorful.”
Other prizes were awarded to Acie Williams, best visiting beard; longest, Tommy Jenson; curliest, Dean Draper; grayest, Ariel Jones; most characteristic, Dean Draper; neatest and best trimmed, Bill Thomas; best beard with least effort, Lyle Thomas; best honorary beard, Mayor John V. Evans.
Three Oneida students, Suzanne Harrison, Vern Bastian and Dave Smith, are among contestants at the National High School Rodeo finals being held at Albert Lea, Minnesota. Clever utilization of the pioneer theme in their float, “How The West Was Won”, won first place for Hess Builders on their Centennial Parade entry depicting an old log cabin, surrounded by sage brush, tools of the period, a pioneer couple and an Indian.
Second place winner was the pink and gold float entered by Magic Gas and showing symbolic gold tools and books characteristic of the progress of this area. The Jaycee-Jaycette entry of a golden horn of plenty, filled to overflowing with agricultural riches, won the third place spot.
20 YEARS AGO (2004). The Malad Little League Major League team took Championship at the recent Shelley Tournament. The team included (front, left to right) Cody Hess, Jeremy McClellan, Chris Hess, Skylar Thorpe, Bubba Crump, (middle) Jordan Schwartz, Jacob Ihler, Kaden Goddard, Brady Daniels, Braeden Anderson, Brayden Hill, (back) along with Coaches Brooks Thorpe, Jerry Goddard and Kirk Hill.
40 YEARS AGO (1984) Participating at the Jim Bridger Contest held in Logan at the Utah State Campus were (front row left to right) Max Neal, Allen Edwards, Velma Lee Hess, Kim Hess, Lisa Atkinson, Mike Atkinson (chairman) Tom Jenkins, Ferrel Jenkins, Teresa Baker, Teri Daniels; (back row left to right) Mike Atkinson, Ronda Neal, Danese Hess, Teresa Daniels, Dave Gilgen, Burke Baker, Don Hubbard, Jeff Daniels.
Malad’s Fighting Welsh defeated Wellsville by a score of 115 to 94. The Fighting Welsh won eight out of fifteen events and tied for two.
Malad City – August 2024 Newsletter
In the Fall of 2022, Malad City was presented with an opportunity to partner with the University of Idaho in a program to improve the mental health of our rural community. The City reached out to other entities in our community to see if we could come up with a program that would help our citizens deal with this complex issue. We started with a large group of interested citizens and local organizations. We are down to a handful of dedicated people representing local organizations who deal with mental health issues daily. We have found in our journey that mental health is not an easy issue to address. First, there is the stigma of just the word, “mental health”. For some reason, it is looked upon as something bad – something worse than “physical health”. And yet, at the least, we all
Fair Preview
One of the greatest thrills a young athlete will ever have is walking out to the field with the stands packed with fans and supporters. The energy and anticipation of the crowd is just electrifying, taking the adventure to a whole new level. That sort of an experience is something every kid should get to enjoy. But for some that enter a different arena to compete, they rarely get that same sort of enthusiastic support.
In just two weeks, the 4H and FFA kids of the Oneida County are set to take to a different sort of arena where they will show their livestock projects that they have been working on for months. While it might seem like a simple demonstration of some farm animals, the behind-the-scenes work to make it to the arena is well worth the support these kids deserve.
Maybe you think watching a 4H livestock show isn’t your thing, that sitting in the stands at a football game, wrestling meet or volleyball tournament is more your speed. But let me help you see what is really going on in that arena beyond the kids chasing their pigs or leading their calves around to what an incredible feat it is.
The youth in the ring have been working up to this day for months, beginning when they chose this year’s animal. Using their experience, advice from parents and leaders, they picked out one calf, one lamp or one pig that they hoped would grow to be the best of all. It can be challenging to pick out just the right animal and if that one doesn’t work out, there are no take backs or do-overs. As they pick through all the potential calves, lambs and hogs, they have to find the one that has the best structure, the best growing potential, and the best demeanor. And if they don’t pick the best one, they really have to just make the most of the animal they have.
Once they have started their project, they have to be all in and totally committed. Caring, teaching and training their animals in preparation for show day requires a daily commitment. There are no rest days when it comes to working to that end goal. It requires late nights, early mornings and working through the hot summers to accomplish the feat of livestock animal fit for show.
Most of these young showmen invest not only their time and energy into rais-
deal with issues daily, such as depression, anxiety, bad habits. At the worst are those who have conditions that they cannot handle alone. They may need medications and doctor care. Are these conditions worse than someone who is physically ill? For some reason, our society believes that it is.
In the process of searching for answers, our committee centered on two areas that we feel would benefit our community. The first is that no one seems to know where to go for help with mental health issues, and the second is the stigma attached to those who suffer mental health problems (which at one time or another is all of us!)
To address the first issue, we decided to provide the community with information on where they can go to find help. Early in 2024, every household
ing and training their animals, but also investing their own hard earned money in their fair animals. Good feed, equipment and animals don’t come cheap and these kids know it first hand. They understand just how much it costs to raise their animal and what it will take to make a profit. Year after year, they hope and pray that their efforts will be enough to help them make a little earnings from their hard work.
Teaching and training their fair animals is a challenge they face year after year as they take on a new animal. And even though it gets easier with time and experience, there is still some amount of danger and fear of working with an animal much bigger and stronger than many of these young showmen. Try as they will over the many weeks to have their animals gentle, calm and trained, there are times that things just fall apart. Yet they still show up, unsure if they are about to get dragged through the dirt and still willing to do it anyway.
And it isn’t enough to just grow a good looking animal that they can walk around the ring, but they also have to prep and fit their animals for show, beginning with washing every inch of their animals to clipping, combing, and standing that leg hair up just right. Then once they get in the show ring, they have to show their animal in a way to convince the judge that they are the very best animal out there. It requires not only the knowledge of how to make their animal look finished and filled out, but also knowing their individual animal’s weakness and strengths, as well as how to move or set up their steer, sheep or pig to highlight those strengths and minimize their weaknesses.
Aside from the physical preparation they have to do with their animals and the feeding routines they have to maintain, they are also required to learn and demonstrate what they have learned for their judges. These young ag producers are expected to know about their animals daily weight gain, their feed rations, the parts of their animals, popular meat cuts, how their digestive systems work, by products, and other facts about their industry.
While this is a highly demanding arena to show in, it is also highly rewarding. I’m not referring to the ribbons that are passed out at the end of the show, but rather the growth and accomplishment that each of these young showmen have as they end their animal
in the community received a refrigerator magnet with telephone numbers of local businesses and organizations. In the center of that magnet is the notation “Mental Health Resources”, with the internet address www.malad.idaho.org Through the help of a talented member of our committee, a link is on that website under the headline “Community” for “Mental Health”. When you click on those tabs, it will take you to the website where you will be provided with information on local resources, telephone numbers for help lines, and helps under specific topics. The website link is a work in progress, and we welcome information that citizens may have that may make the website more functional.
To address the second issue, we feel that we want to fight the stigma of men-
projects. Most will say they are only in it for the money, many others will say that their parents make them do it and there will be a few that do it for the fun, but all of them get far more out of their experience than a check at the end of the year. The confidence they gain in their own abilities to prep their animals, the leadership that comes from taking charge and the satisfaction they earn from doing some hard and doing it well are an investment in their future, something much more than a payout in their pocket.
All of the time and hard work that
tal health. We are teaming up with the successful annual Suicide Awareness Walk for a “Mental Health/Suicide Awareness Walk”, as these two issues go together, to be held on Tuesday, September 3. Our event will feature booths with information on where citizens can find help locally, a free “Walking Tacos” meal for all attendees from 6:00 to 6:45 p.m., a short program from 7:00 to 7:15 p.m., and then we will walk for awareness from the Malad High School to the Million Broken Hearts Memorial located in the Malad City Cemetery. Please plan to come join us on September 3, 2024, from approximately 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. We hope this will help everyone learn about this important topic, as well as come together in support of those who have suffered or may now be suffering from mental issues.
these youth do is largely in preparation for a single day of show. Instead of spending day after day preparing for a season of games or just a weekend tournament, they get one shot. Signing up to take a market animal to the county fair is a huge undertaking that deserves an equal amount of praise and support. Before the stands get filled for Friday night football or the week’s rival volleyball match, let’s first fill the stands of the show ring and give these hard working 4H and FFA youth the cheers they deserve for accomplishing such a task.
New method estimates Idaho wolf population
Idaho Fish and Game
Idaho Fish and Game researchers have developed a new genetics-based method of estimating the state’s wolf population. The method uses genetic and age information taken from every harvested wolf checked by Fish and Game. Researchers then use that genetic information to understand relatedness among the harvested wolves and a computer modeling process that uses the pattern of relatedness to estimate the total number of wolves that produced that pattern.
The estimated wolf population for summer of 2023, after the breeding season, was 1,150 wolves. That estimate is near the high-end of the annually fluctuating population because wolf litters are born in the spring, then mortality from hunting, trapping and other causes occurs throughout the fall and winter, which typically cuts the statewide population by nearly half before the next breeding cycle.
The new genetic-based method uses data that Fish and Game staff have collected for years from harvested wolves, and with that historical genetic data, researchers produced estimates for previous years. They worked for more than a year to produce the genetics-based estimates, and then compared them to camera-based estimates of statewide wolf populations from 2019-2023. Although there were slight variations between the two methods, they produced very similar results.
“We recognize that the camera-based method is likely to become less reliable with a smaller wolf population,” Fish and Game Wildlife Bureau Chief Shane Roberts said. “Therefore, we’re planning to move forward with the new genetics-based method that will be more dependable at lower population sizes. We will work with the scientific community to have this new method peer-reviewed, and we will continue to fine tune it as we move ahead.”
In the early years after wolves were reintroduced to Idaho, the state’s wolf population was estimated by capturing and placing radio collars on wolves in almost every pack in the state. Those collared wolves were later used to locate and count the packs from the air.
As the number of wolves and packs grew in Idaho and became more dispersed throughout the state, it became unsustainable to maintain collared wolves in enough packs to accurately estimate the state’s population. This approach was further complicated because hunters and trappers frequently harvested wolves after being collared, and wolves became more difficult to capture and collar.
In 2019, Fish and Game researchers,
along with university collaborators, pioneered the camera-based method to estimate the state’s wolf population. Since then, Fish and Game crews placed and retrieved hundreds of cameras each summer, which generated millions of photos that had to be analyzed before the annual population modeling could begin. The camera method has produced reliable results to date, but Fish and Game researchers predict its reliability will decline if they get fewer pictures of wolves, which would happen if the state’s wolf population was smaller.
To ensure a reliable replacement was available before discontinuing the camera-based monitoring, Fish and Game staff developed the new genetic-based method, and then produced five pastyear estimates for direct comparison with the camera-based estimates. After seeing similar results, Fish and Game staff is confident to move forward with the new genetics-based method.
“We believe this new method will provide us with reliable and repeatable wolf population estimates,” Roberts said. “By getting accurate annual population estimates, we can see whether the statewide population is decreasing or increasing, so we can adjust our management accordingly to meet goals.”
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reintroduced wolves into Idaho in 1995-96 with a goal of establishing at least 15 breeding pairs and 150 wolves in the state before the Fish and Wildlife Service would remove federal Endangered Species Act protections and transfer wolf management to the State of Idaho.
That population goal was exceeded in 2003, and Fish and Game took over wolf management in 2009. Between 2019 and 2021, the midpoint of the annual cycle of the statewide wolf population averaged 1,270 wolves. That “midpoint” number is roughly midway between the high point of the annual population in the spring and lowest point in late winter before new litters are born.
In May 2023, the Fish and Game Commission approved a six-year wolf management plan that outlined goals and strategies to manage the wolf population to fluctuate around an annual midpoint of about 500 animals. Population estimates since 2019 suggest the state’s wolf population is on a declining trend and moving toward meeting that management goal.
Fish and Game officials believe reducing the state’s wolf population will decrease wolf conflicts with livestock and reduce predation on elk herds in areas where they are below population objectives.
Allison Eliason
Magic in Malad Valley
It was one of those busy weekends in Malad, with the Horse Races starting up and the Little League Tournament filling the town during the afternoons. For those seeking something less familiar in their weekend entertainment, the magic of Crag Campbell was featured at the Iron Door for several engagements. Campbell, a closeup and stage magician, presented a range of skills to a captivated audience with equal degrees charm and slyness.
Campbell stated during his act that he has been practicing magic for over thirty years, and his love of the craft showed through, as he provided some historical digressions into the rivalry between Arthur Conan Doyle and Harry Houdini, as well as nods to other figures in the history of the prestidigitatory canon.
Joining Campbell on stage was his partner Christa Hughes, who Campbell met in Utah where the two currently live. After signing on with Campbell to head out on the magic circuit, Hughes insisted that they make Malad part of their itinerary. Hughes’ family is the same Hughes family you may know from Samaria, and the two made a stop out at the Blue Goose as part of their trip.
The show included both close up magic (which is done with the audience directly involved and watching the actions of the magician), as well as stage magic (done from a distance), though
in a venue like the Iron Door, all the magic was to some extent close up.
Campbell’s overall theme for the performance was the “power of imagination,” which he introduced with a demonstration involving a lemon that of course turned out not to be a lemon but a yellow rag with the word “apple” (a suggestion from the audience) typed onto it.
Along with a range of card tricks, Campbell presented feats of sleight of hand involving ropes and bindings, audience participation, memorization, and a nice double-twist with a copy of the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. After having his volunteer select a random page, Campbell proceeded to pull out an identical volume of the book outside of her view and read from it. What seemed like a humorous nontrick turned into a more astounding one when Campbell revealed that his “cheat copy” was full of blank pages and he had not been reading from it after all. Or so one imagines.
Audience participation was a big part of the act, and Campbell, who doubles as a teacher during the “normal” part of the year, clearly has a lot of experience dealing with inquisitive groups. The younger set in the audience were perfectly attuned to both the underlying humor throughout the act, as well as the spectacles themselves as they unfolded.
The culminating act had Campbell essentially play Russian Roulette with
a set of staple guns, including one “live and loaded” one. Another volunteer from the audience was responsible for selecting the gun that Campbell would use, winnowing them down in sequence until only the final one was left, which he proved was loaded by stapling a card to the table on stage. While not quite as dangerous as the bullet trick made famous by Chung Ling Soo (William Ellsworth Robinson), it’s worth remembering that said trick was the cause of Robinson’s premature death. With inflation the way it is, we can’t be risking magicians like that any more.
Good nature and good humor certainly characterized Campbell’s act, and he took the audience along with him on the ride in a very entertaining show. Hughes made for a perfect partner, keeping the myriad pieces in motion that were required to execute the tricks.
The Iron Door hopes to retain the services of Campbell and Hughes as returning attractions during the year, and hopefully that comes to fruition. If you were unable or unaware of the show at the Iron Door, keep your eyes peeled and your imagination ready for the next time the duo comes through town.
Malad Dragon Wrestler Named All American
Fargo, North Dakota. A place most people only recognize as a small dot on the map most commonly known for bitterly cold winters. Making it to Fargo might not mean much to many, but for a handful of Malad wrestlers, Fargo represented far more than a small speck on a map. Fargo, North Dakota meant a shot at an All-American Wrestling title.
The 2024 US Marine Corps Junior and 16U National Wrestling Tournament, the largest wrestling tournament in the world, was held July 13-20 for the very best wrestlers from each state. To qualify for the tournament, a wrestler must place in the top four of their weight bracket at the USA wrestling tournament of their state in Greco or Freestyle wrestling.
The qualifying tournament for Idaho held in April saw three Malad Dragon wrestlers, Drake Morrison, Oakley Maddox, and Roper Higley, punch their ticket to the national tournament. Higley qualified with a 4th place finish in the Juniors 150lb Greco bracket. Wrestling in the 16u 150lb division, Maddox won 1st place in Greco and 2nd place in Freestyle to earn his spot at the Fargo tournament. Morrison won 1st place in both styles at 144lbs in the 16u division.
From that time, these three athletes have spent days and weeks on the mats practicing and preparing for the high level competition they were sure to face there. The day finally arrived when Coaches Thomas Maddox and Devin Morrison loaded up the Malad wrestlers, along with several other Idaho wrestlers, to make the 16 hour drive to join over 8,000 wrestlers from across the country.
The seven days of wrestling could only be de-
scribed with words like tough, grueling, elite, high-level, and awe-inspiring. The very best wrestlers from all 50 states competed for the prestigious All-American honor, an honor granted only to those placing in the top 8 of their bracket. While all three of the Malad wrestlers competed and represented Team Idaho well, only Morrison claimed the title of All-American as he secured a 5th place finish.
“This tournament is the highest level of competition for high school wrestlers. We are incredibly proud of our wrestlers for all of their hard work and how well they represented Malad wrestling,” shared Coach Morrison. Drake Morrison said of his first experience at the tournament and bringing
home a medal, “I am very grateful to everyone that has supported me while I worked towards this goal. My coaches and teammates have helped me prepare so I was ready to be at my very best. Fargo is an awesome experience wrestling with the best in the country and I am excited to be back there in the future with my teammates.”
Craig Campbell and assistant Christa Hughes mystify the crowd on Saturday. Some familiar faces join Craig on stage for a zip tie escape. Both are fine.
“Imagination” was Campbell’s byword for the performance, as this “lemon” indicates.
Drake Morrison on the podium for the 16u 144lb bracket.
Coach Thomas Maddox, Oakley Maddox, Drake Morrison, Coach Devin Morrison and Roper Higley
Team Idaho wrestlers and coaches
Oneida County Commission Report—
Adapted from the official minutes, recorded by County Clerk
Shanci Dorius
Phone System
A phone system proposal was presented by Kyle Redman and Dave Perry with ATC Communications. The Oneida County phone system is very complex, and ATC said that an updated system that would make all lines digital would cost less than what the county is currently paying. One caveat to the cost savings is the requirements in place for law enforcement telecommunications is Solacom. It is part of the law enforcement telecommunications system and would require installation of a $17,000 - $20,000 component to digitize the analog system. ATC will present additional information and provide quotes at the next commissioners meeting.
Planning and Zoning
A monthly report for Planning and Zoning was given by Administrator Rhonda Neal. The number and type of items they are reviewing are: 1 minor subdivision, 2 full subdivisions, 6 conditional use applications (2 pending approval), 2 parcel splits, 2 rezones, 16+ reported violations.
Neal came before the board of commissioners regarding the establishment of a fee schedule. Currently there is no schedule of fees for amendments, appeals, variances, conditional use permits, subdivisions, plan approvals, or other matters pertaining to the administration and enforcement of the ordinances. This would sustain the planning and zoning department if development trends in Oneida County continue. Planning & Zoning staff requested a hearing before the board of commissioners. Mrs. Neal will forward a PowerPoint and a staff report to the commissioners. Commissioner Lewis would like to see the report prior to scheduling a public hearing and requested that the topic be added to the agenda for 8/12 for further discussion.
Planning & Zoning Administrator Rhonda Neal presented the commissioners with the final plats for two subdivisions that were ready for commissioner signature/approval. The first was a minor subdivision plat for Homefront Views (Allen & Vilate Nielson). The second was a three-lot minor subdivision for the My Darling Earl subdivision (Lex Firth) on Highway 191.
The final plat for Homefront Views, a minor subdivision on 3900 West was approved.
The final subdivision plat on the My Darling Earl subdivision was approved. Town Hall Meeting
The next Town Hall meeting was discussed, with the topic suggestion of Emergency Preparedness. Commissioners will limit the town hall to 1.5 – 2 hours with public comment accepted at the end of the presentation. Suggested dates were 10/29 or 10/30, and will depend on which day the presenters are available.
Event Center Cleaning
Contact cleaning services during fair week and bathroom access for scheduled outdoor activities throughout the year were discussed. It was determined that it is acceptable to unlock the outside access doors to the restrooms while leaving the inside door locked (to limit access inside the event center for outdoor-only activities).
BLM Lease
Discussion regarding the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lease was re-visited. The 16x8 foot enclosed structure on the property is listed on the lease. Danny Miller, a realty specialist for the BLM, sent a response to Attorney Lyle Fuller’s inquiries. Mr. Miller indicated that the state of Idaho has disposed of the building via donation to Oneida County. The Oneida County commissioners would like a copy of the email stating the fact. The lease states Oneida County would be the sole owners of the building and could lease the building to other entities, including the Raccoon Radio Club and Utah VHS Society. The BLM does not consider the building to be a permanent structure and will not need a quick claim deed to complete the transfer of ownership. A “bill of sale” type document will suffice.
Commissioner Jeppsen motioned to sign the Communications Use Lease
Agreement with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for the building given to Oneida County by the state of Idaho, which currently resides on the Holbrook Summit. Motion passed. Deep Creek Permit
The Oneida County Deep Creek Permit with the Forest Service is a zero-dollar lease. Attorney Fuller reviewed the document and presented his thoughts and concerns for with the board of commissioners. The name on the permit should be “Oneida County” and not an individual name. There was also concern about obligating the county to care for land without being able to spray weeds without having to get permission each time. One alternative was to add a clause to allow spraying without requesting permission. There was discussion about committing the county for an extended period, since twentynine-years may be too long. The commissioners expressed concern about following Idaho Code to not obligate a future board of commissioners, unless a clause could be added that would allow a future board to cancel the lease. Commissioner Jeppsen pondered whether the length could work to Oneida County’s advantage. Sheriff Jones stated that the last lease was a five-year lease but the lease prior to that was thirty-years. The details of the future lease states that the county would be responsible for improvements / maintenance / rebuilding on the site. The Idaho Department of Fish & Game has stated they would be willing to pull the docks out and clean toilets (improve docks, restrooms).
Budget
The board of commissioners discussed the necessity of finalizing budgets for fiscal year 2025. They will hold a special meeting on August 6, 2024 at 9:00 am.
Development Code
The second amendment of the Oneida County Development Code (ordinance number 2022-08-01) includes all approved amendments adopted on June 10, 2024. The document was finalized by Fuller & Fuller and brought to the board of county commissioner meeting for signature. After it is signed, it will be recorded and posted on the county website as a searchable document.
Sheriff’s Office
The Oneida County Sheriff presented quotes on equipment, specifically vehicle camera and body camera systems. One five-year quote on body cams was $122,000. A second quote for just eight (of the eleven needed) vehicle video cameras would cost $32,000 yearly. A third quote from Digital Ally was nearly $300,000 over five-years. The Oneida County Sheriff’s office currently uses Digital Ally, but there are issues with not keeping equipment upgraded and iCloud and redaction services cost extra. A five-year, $195,000 bid from Motorola has more included features than Digital Ally such as replacing some equipment every thirty-six months (does not include vehicle cameras). It also has additional charges for services such as cloud storage, transferring previous records from a previous platform, and although they offer and application for redaction, someone in-house has to be paid for their time spent doing the redactions. Both Sheriff Arne Jones and Attorney Lyle Fuller followed up the LensLock presentation from a previous meeting by calling Idaho Falls, who recently signed with LensLock. Mr. Fuller was told that the service was very new to Idaho Falls and they did not have much to offer on how the service was (yet) but it was mentioned the service they used previously had a lot of issues. Sheriff Jones was told that Idaho Falls liked the service so far. The LensLock bid costs $158,870 ($31,74 yearly) and includes fifteen body cams (replaced every thirty-months), eleven in-car cameras, CAD integration (report sync), redaction services, unlimited cloud storage, and is based in Salt Lake City. Regardless of which system is ultimately chosen, it would be an add-on to the capital budget for fiscal year 2025.
Commissioner Eliason motioned to accept the LensLock agreement with the Sheriff’s office for $31,774 annually for five-years to begin in the 2025 budget year and would be paid out of the capital budget. Motion carried.
Dillon LaVar Johnson
November 11, 2002 ~ July 28, 2024
Chubbuck, Idaho- Our loving Son, Brother, Nephew, Grandson, Cousin and Friend, Dillon LaVar Johnson, 21, lost his battle to mental illness on Sunday July 28th, 2024. Dillon was born on November 11th, 2002 in Tremonton, Utah, the Son of Aaron Duane Johnson and DeLynn M. Jackson. He was raised and educated in Malad and was a graduate of Marsh Valley High School, class of 2021.
Dillon, also known as “Grip._.60” to the trap rap fans, was outgoing, had a bold personality and was a friend to everyone. He was rambunctious, fearless, kind and talented. Dillon was a born leader and was extremely passionate. He made friends and fans everywhere he went. Dillon was loved by all and will be missed by many! Throughout Dillon’s life he could be found playing football and basketball, skateboarding, exploring the outdoors; fishing and hunting, he enjoyed writing music and watching UFC fights. He also spent his time MMA fighting; he was always trying to find someone to spar with. Dillon loved performing his music, passionately, on stage. On the stage he was able to release his emotions and strived to help his fans dealing with their own personal struggles. He has released many singles and EPs, as Grip._.60 and appearing with Dead not Dyin’.
Dillon has a very extended list of family members and friends, too many to list, but he loved each and every one of you.
He is survived by: his parents, Aaron Duane Johnson (Jackie) of Logan, DeLynn M. Jackson (Nicholas) of Malad, his Girlfriend: Torrie Nicole Benson of Chubbuck, his Brothers: TraVeck Aaron Duane Johnson of Tremonton and Carlisle Noah Jackson of Malad, Step-siblings: Elijah Cree Spatz, Ga-
briel Lynn Dayton, Isis Elizabeth Dayton and Violet Morgan Dayton. Grandparents: Myrtle Jean Johnson, Darrell LaVar Wallberg Jr., numerous Aunts, Uncles, Cousins and his best friend since birth, Max Connor. He was preceded in death by: Wesley Eugene Johnson Sr., Darrell LaVar Wallberg Sr. and Ina Darlene Wallberg, Judy Jones, Mama Michelle “Shelley” Marie Jackson and Howard Lee Ehlers. Funeral services will be held on Friday, August 2nd, 2024 from 6-7 p.m. in the Horsley Funeral Home 132 W 300 N in Malad, Idaho. Friends may call at the funeral home on Friday prior to the service from 5-6 p.m. Dillon’s request was to be cremated and will be respected. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental illness, please, reach out for help. We can all help prevent suicide. The 988 Lifeline provides 24/7, free support for people in distress and has prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones.
War on Weeds—weeds are everybody’s problem
THE ISSUE: Scotch broom
Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius) is a perennial shrub native to northern Africa and parts of Europe. It was introduced into the U.S. in the 1850’s as an ornamental, later it was used for erosion control. It invades roadsides, pastures, and other disturbed sites. Scotch broom is unpalatable and can be toxic to livestock.
Scotch broom can grow 3-10 feet tall. Leaves are small oblong, pointed and grow in groups of three. It is well known for its bright yellow flowers that look like ‘pea’ flowers. Seed pods are hairy and green when young, as they mature, they turn black to brown. When ripe they explode, launching the shiny greenish-brown-black seeds. Seeds can remain viable in the soil for up to 30 years. Scotch broom has special characteristics that enable it to outcompete native species. It loses its leaves under dry conditions, but stem tissue can perform photosynthesis helping it to thrive under adverse conditions. It also forms a symbiotic relationship with nitrogen fixing bacteria allowing it to prosper in nitrogen depleted soils.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
Options:
• Prevention— Learn to identify this plant. Never transport unknown plant material. Always plant clean seed!
• Mechanical—Mowing plants at the end of the summer can help reduce scotch broom populations if done reg-
of Agriculture, Bugwood.org
ularly. Do not try to remove this plant by digging soil disruption will allow more plants to germinate.
• Cultural—Establish healthy stands of desirable vegetation that will compete with scotch broom. Reduce disturbance and use proper grazing techniques.
• Biological—Scotch broom bruchid (Bruchidius villous) and scotch broom seed weevil (Exapion fuscirostre) are both larvae that cause damage to developing scotch broom seeds.
• Chemical— There are several herbicide options available to use on this weed species. For more information on products and rates visit: https:// pnwhandbooks.org/weed. Then search “broom”. Then select “broom, scotch”. 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
Dillon LaVar Johnson
Photo courtesy of Eric Coombs, Oregon Department
Olympics TV
Viewing
Schedule, August 1 - 7
National HS and JH Finals Rodeo
In most sports, there is plenty of time to beat down your competition. Basketball games are made up of four eight-minute quarters. A soccer game lasts two forty-minute halves. Baseball is made up of seven innings and even short as it is, wrestling has three two-minute periods. But then there is rodeo that allows a cowboy only one ride for the night that will literally last only seconds.
For those few seconds in the arena in the attempt of coming out number one, competitors practice hours in preparation, spending thousands of dollars on equipment, tack, and horses, traveling hundreds of thousands of miles around the country to compete. And while that might sound nearly insane, the rush of the ride is well worth it all.
Just recently, some of Oneida County’s best high school cowboys and cowgirls stepped in the arena to compete at the very highest level of competitionthe National High School Rodeo. Held in Rock Springs Wyoming, the rodeo began Sunday, July 14 and concluded Saturday, July 20. The week-long rodeo featured two go’s for each competitor with a final fast go for the leaders in each event. Following the three go’s, a final average or aggregate score was tallied up to determine the overall winner of the finals rodeo.
Included in the lineup of more than 1,500 other cowboys and cowgirls hailing from 47 states and provinces around the United States and Canada were Lincoln Reeder, Ruger Smith and Bella. Lincoln competed in the bareback riding, qualifying at the state finals in third place after scoring on three of his four rides. Ruger also qualified for the national rodeo in tie down roping, placing third at state on three top ten finishes including his first place win in the second go. Competing in breakaway, Bella Smith qualified to compete at the high school national finals with a fourth place finish at the state level, narrowly missing third by only 0.5 points.
Like the state finals rodeo, each go of the National High School Finals Rodeo was divided up into multiple performances with a morning and evening rodeo each day. The week-long rodeo also included the national high school queen contest, reining and cutting competitions, as well as rifle and skeet shooting competitions.
The local cowboys and cowgirl had some ups and downs along the way with both good days with good rides and bad days with missed rides. Lincoln scored a 64 on his first ride despite being disappointed with his horse’s performance. In the second go, Lincoln scored a 44 after the flank strap came off. He chose to take the reride option where he came off before the eight second mark.
Bella Smith missed in first breakaway performance but found her groove to catch on her second rodeo. With a time of 4.73, Bella found herself
in the middle of the pack.
Competing in the tie-down roping, Ruger roped with great success, getting a time with each go. Coming back for the final go, Ruger placed 6th with a 9.45. His combined score earned him a final 10th place finish out of nearly 200 ropers.
Earlier in the summer, the a number of Malad’s future high school rodeoers qualified to compete in the national Jr High Finals Rodeo in Des Moines, Iowa. Competing for Idaho from Oneida county was Bronson Smith in bull riding, bareback riding, and saddle bronc, Rawzen Munns in chute dogging, Oak Smith in chute dogging and tie down roping, and Steelee Smith in ribbon roping.
While qualifying for the national rodeo is an impressive feat of its own, these rodeo athletes found a number of successes as they competed. The greatest excitement for the bunch was the overall second place finish Bronson secured with three qualifying rides of 63 points for 7th place, 66 points for 3rd place, and 68 for 6th place. Bronson narrowly missed coming in first place as he trailed by just 0.5 points at the end of the rodeo.
They may be competing for just a few short seconds in the arena, but it is clear to see that these athletes know how to make the most of those few seconds.
72nd Annual Stone Rodeo
Stone, Idaho might be a little off the beaten path, but the Stone Rodeo is well known on the rodeo trail. Fans from southern Idaho and northern Utah made their way to the Curlew Valley July 24 and 25 to attend the 72nd annual showing of the Curlew Amature Rodeo, better known as the Stone Rodeo. The two day rodeo is a local favorite featuring classic rodeo rough stock and roping events as well as a little hometown fun like ribbon roping, calf riding, and wild horse race.
Each night, the rodeo began with team roping and breakaway slack beginning at 6 pm, with the show starting at 8pm. McKinzie Richins, Hailey Branch and Easton Wrigley carried the American and Curlew Valley flags each night as McCall Clark and Brent Stokes sang the national anthem, Wednesday and Thursday respectively. “Reggie” Carpenter with Hoggan Rodeo Company provided the rough stock, Eliason Livestock provided cattle for the ribbon roping, Ben Tibbits provided the steers for the team roping, with Nolan Branch provided calves for the kids calf riding.
Night one of the rodeo went off without a hitch as local favorites rode into the arena to compete. There wasn’t a dull moment watching the top notch rides, talented stock, terrifying near misses and mirth filled moments.
The fun continued on the second night, but in a whole different way. On the tail end of the slack, a thunder storm blew in, giving the contestants and spectators a quick cool off and downpour. The clouds seemed to part as the rodeo began but it wasn’t long before the clouds returned and remained for the duration of the rodeo. Despite the drencher, a number of fans stuck out their favorite rodeo to cheer on the brave cowboys and cowgirls that were determined to make a ride. The rain and mud did little to deter the calf riding kids and their dedicated parents that ensured their ride didn’t end up backside in the mud.
As the rodeo concluded, members of the rodeo committee commented, “In all my years, I’ve never seen this much rain at the rodeo!” Rain or shine, the Stone Rodeo will always go on, with next year always looming on the horizon.
The rodeo is put on by the rodeo board made up of members throughout the Curlew Valley including president Rondell Skidmore, Rick Steed, Tim Munns, Ken Eliason,
Denver Hawkes, Brayden Eliason, Cody Carter, Matt Branch, Shane Eliason and Nathan Eliason. Their efforts, coupled with the generous donors and sponsors of the rodeo, are what make this rodeo possible year after year and deserve a round of applause for all of their contributions.
Proudly carrying the flags for the rodeo were McKinzie Richins, Hailey Branch and Easton Wrigley.
Lincoln Reeder qualified at the Idaho High School Rodeo in bareback riding.
Bronson Smith qualified to compete at the National Junior High Rodeo Finals in bronc riding, saddle bronc, and bull riding.
Bella Smith
Breakaway roping at the Curlew Valley Amateur Rodeo held July 24-25 in Stone, Idaho.
Ruger Smith finished overall in 10th place as he competed in the tie down roping at the National High School Finals Rodeo.