The Idaho Enterprise/ Caribou County | March 20 2025

North Gem Parent Night takes a unique approach

Up until a few years ago, the Parent-Teacher night at North Gem was like Parent-Teacher nights at most schools: the parents of elementary school kids eagerly showed to find out how their kids were doing, a smaller number of parents of middle school students showed up to make sure their kids weren’t falling behind, and the high school parents who showed up generally had one or two specific questions about their kids. The experience is universal. In many districts, parent-teacher conferences for children beyond elementary grades are only required for failing grades. As North Gem parent Michalene Rindlisbaker noted, “that’s too late to do any good for the students or the teachers.”

Teachers Rick Hatch and Cathy DeWitt felt the same. “Those high school parent-teacher nights were pretty empty,” Hatch said. “We’d sit around eating pizza and just waiting for someone to come in.” Along with teacher Heather Hendren, Hatch and DeWitt tried to figure out some way to bring up attendance numbers, and more importantly, get the word to parents about the kinds of amazing things their kids were doing at school.

“We really wanted parents to see what their kids were up to, so we came up with some ways to get them in,” DeWitt said. Some of those strategies involved games, food, and activities for the whole family. In addition, students were on hand to explain some of their portfolio and project materials to their parents.

The result was a fantastic event that seemingly defies all expectations for the Parent-Teacher night. On Thursday of last week, the gym at North Gem High School was filled with students, parents, teachers, and staff, all of whom had gathered for the night to celebrate the accomplishments of Bancroft students.

Those familiar with the usual, somber line of parents waiting on chairs outside of their children’s classrooms to speak with a teacher for a few minutes about their child would hardly recognize the hour-long, open event filled with conversation, enthusiasm, and interaction. The event was so unusual that when it officially “ended” there were still plenty of people gathered in the gym.

Like many things at North Gem, the evening was an

all-hands on deck affair, with Superintendent Miller joining Rick Hatch and Counselor Nate Eiman at the entrance checking in parents and students, and running the door prize raffles.

North Gem school has a couple of things going for it that set it apart from the majority of schools and school districts in the state. For one, it is one of the rare districts which encompasses all grades in a single building. There is not an official state list of such districts, but there are 138 districts and 227 high schools in the state, so they occur almost entirely in rural districts with relatively small populations. As a result, many of the teachers at North Gem work with a range of students of different ages on both school curricula as well as other activities. For many of the students, their whole school experience takes place within the walls of the North Gem school from kindergarten to graduation, which creates a much more familiar and consistent experience than most students get. It allows the teachers and administrators a chance to really get to know the personalities, strengths, interests, and particularities of the students in a unique way.

The sense of community begins to build early, as the students spend a lot of time with their cohort throughout the years, and because siblings range in ages throughout the school, there is a consistent shared support system.

This Monday, for instance, Ms. Ball’s class of second graders are putting on the Elementary Pancake Day for students, parents, grandparents, and community members. It’s just one of the many events that help to foster strong bonds. As Walter Eiman wrote in his March letter to students and parents, “I look forward to seeing you all [at the Breakfast] and celebrating the connections that make our school community so special.”

The sense of shared community between the students, teachers, and parents at North Gem was obvious at last week’s Parent-Teacher event. Siblings of the high school students were welcomed in to get a look forward at the kinds of things they may end up doing when their own

Paper Renewal Questions

Here at the Enterprise, we are incredibly grateful for all of our readers. We started reporting for Caribou County a little over a year ago, which means that for many people a renewal notice was sent out recently….BUT here’s the problem. Because we contract with a third party for the renewal notices, you may have received a letter with the language “Newspaper Management Company” or words to that effect on the outside, although we have it on pretty good authority that it may not have been sent out to all addresses. If you have not received the renewal notice, the easiest thing to do is call Sherrie at 208-766-4773 to renew over the phone

or have a renewal form sent to you. It’s a bit of a pain, and we apologize for any confusion or interrupted service. We are speaking with the company to see if they can specialize the information on the envelope to make its origin more obvious. There is another matter related to the issue count that we are also working to resolve, but hopefully it is just a matter of getting the system more streamlined. In the meantime, we thank you for your patience and support. Feel free to communicate this to any subscribers that you know. Extra papers will be made available for those with missing papers.

Gaza ceasefire ends

Perhaps not surprisingly, the tenuous ceasefire which had been in place in Gaza ended on Tuesday when Israel resumed airstrikes, which it labeled “pre-emptive” and directed at the Hamas leadership. The ceasefire had been in place in order to allow for the exchange of hostages and the furtherance of negotiations. Prime Minister Benjamin Netenyahu of Israel stated that Hamas had not been operating in good faith with regard to the release of hostages, and that there was no incentive for Israel to continue the ceasefire conditions. The Trump administration expressed support for the resumption of strikes on Monday as news of the changing situation was announced.

Consumer confidence falls

One of the many elements of the economy that is used to evaluate its strength is the consumer confidence report, which is determined by retail spending relative to the time of year and prior months. Consumer spending was down 1.2 percent in January, and only barely above that level in February, which is almost a full percentage point lower than analysts had predicted. Concerns about inflation and the effects of import tariffs on consumer goods have made buyers more conservative about spending on both long term durable goods as well as non-essential items. The price of baseline expenses, such as gas, groceries, energy, and internet/ technology is expected to rise in coming months as a result of inflationary pressures, which will likely further act as a check on consumer spending outside those areas.

Death penalty bill heads to House

The death penalty is already the law of the state in Idaho for capital crimes, but a bill sponsored by Representative Bruce Skaug of Nampa would add “aggravated lewd conduct with children age 12 and under” to the list of capital crimes which are eligible for the death penalty. The bill would also create strict mandatory minimums for aggravated lewd conduct with children under 16 that do not meet all the requirements for a death penalty convictions. The sponsor stated that this is in response to Idaho’s current laws on molestation and sexual abuse, which he sees as “too lenient.” According to reporting from the Idaho Capital Sun, “the bill spells out more than a dozen aggravating factors, including already being found guilty of a crime that requires sex offender registration, committing lewd conduct against the same victim at least three separate times, being in a position of trust or having “supervisory or disciplinary power over the victim,” penetration, kidnapping, human trafficking the child, torture, using force or coercion, and being armed with a weapon.”

These hanging flower baskets were constructed by North Gem students.

Projects were displayed throughout the gym, allowing students to discuss them with their parents and teachers.

Art was one of the many subjects students, parents, and teachers discussed at North Gem's Parent-Teacher conferences last week.

PARENT NIGHT On Page 2

A matter of manners

There’s a better than average chance that when you think of 4-H, “etiquette” isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. It might not even be the twentieth or even the hundred and twentieth thing that comes to mind. But the Extension Office in Caribou County is nothing if not surprising, and the full staff was involved last week in a formal etiquette dinner class for students in Soda Springs at Thirkill.

4-H program coordinator Lisa Barfuss, who recently returned from a cruise on which she had ample time to practice what she preached, led the groups of Thirkill elementary students through a refresher course in the finer points of formal dining etiquette, as well as general rules for engaging in polite society.

“Now this isn’t how I eat every night either,” Barfuss said, after asking the students how many of them ate dinner with a formal setting. “A lot of times, we eat on the couch at my house, especially after a long day. But you need to know what to do when the situation is a bit more formal, because believe it or not, it will come up some day.”

Members of the University of Idaho Extension Office in Caribou County—which holds classes for 4-H students throughout the year, hosts seminars on farm and ranch issues for locals, and of course oversees many of the events at the Caribou County and state fairs—jumped in to help with the day’s lessons. The Extension Office has an education-oriented mission, and its employees are all game for educating on a variety of subjects.

In this case, Justin Hatch was called on to demonstrate proper seating and eating etiquette, while Sara Smith and Taylor Simmons provided demonstrations on things NOT to do while at the table. Alexis Carroll and Rachel Hamilton joined the others at the student tables to help discuss the finer points of pasta management.

During a session earlier in the morning, students were given general instructions on how to behave and perform during a formal dinner. Later on, students were brought back into the cafeteria to put that learning to practice with a formal spaghetti dinner. As laughter filled the room, students practiced proper fork use to avoid slurping their noodles.

Parent Night

continued from front page

Over the course of the event, students had a number of excellent questions about the ins and outs of table manners. While it was immediately clear that students had all heard the admonition against putting their elbows on the table and talking on their phones at the table, some of the less obvious pointers seemed to come as a surprise.

A partial list of reminders from the presentation includes some of the following: “Ladies are first. Gentlemen pull out the chairs for the ladies. Come to the table with a clean face and hands.” Lisa Barfuss led with a reminder of this point, and continued to remind her listeners that their behavior would communicate a lot to other people about who they were, especially people who did not already know them.

“Say hello—eye contact is important. If you are the host take coats and bags. Greet your guests and introduce people if they are new. Place your napkin in your lap, use it properly. Sit still—don’t wiggle or lie on your chair. Don’t get up and down. When dinner starts you wait patiently for the food to be passed. If you want something, say please pass. When passing the food, it should usually be passed to the right,” Barfuss itemized, patiently answering questions about why certain things were done the way they were. Many students noted occasions on which they had experienced formal dining rules.

“Always wait for the host or hostess. They may begin with a prayer. Be respectful of other people’s beliefs,” she said. Students responded with a range of perspectives on how and whether their families had prayers prior to eating.

“If you have younger siblings, be a role-model. Take small bites, don’t stuff your mouth. Don’t talk with your mouth full. Don’t come to the table with gum. If you forget, don’t put it on your plate. Tear a small part of your napkin and put it in that. Never put your gum on the underside of a table or chair,” she continued. Based on the reactions, more than one student had violated the previous principle.

“Don’t double dip. If there is a dipping sauce, pour a small amount on your plate. Don’t complain about the food. You should try everything, but take a small portion and if you

time comes around to take on higher level classes.

Among the projects on display were those involving wood working, greenhouse design and construction, engineering and circuit making, history, science, art, mathematics and others. Most of the courses had created display tables on which the student work was arranged to show off the kinds of work that have been going on so far this school year. Students themselves provided more detailed explanations for their parents and anyone who asked them for further details.

One of the upsides to the relatively small population of the school is that student education can be catered very specifically to meet the needs of its students. As a result, school metrics such as testing, attendance, and graduation all tend to be at high levels relative to other schools across the state. The reinforcement of concepts and academic and social support provided by the North Gem school environment have shown clear results in the education provided by the district.

Superintendent Kyle Miller is also seeking to forma a committee to offer insight on school matters and provide a voice to parents on topics

don’t like it just don’t eat it.” Barfuss used the story of her husband’s reaction to escargot as an example. While he initially was skeptical about the snail dish, he politely ate it. And then he ate everyone else’s!

“Have conversation. Sitting in awkward silence is the worst. But make sure it is appropriate and not silly. Try not to interrupt when people are speaking. Never burp at the table. Cover your mouth and say excuse me. If you have to sneeze, cover your face with your napkin or elbow, turn your head, and say excuse me. Never blow your nose at the table. Excuse yourself and go to the bathroom. Wash your hands when you are done.”

“Absolutely NO electronic devic-

related to decisions made throughout the district. Superintendent Miller encourages any North Gem parents interested in serving on such a committee to reach out to him at his office.

The effect of a hands-on, community-minded approach to things like the otherwise anodyne Parent-Teacher night cannot be overstated. To see a capacity crowd of parents gathered to see their students’ efforts and meet with their teachers, and to see a room full of students eager to show off those

es at the table. No phones or toys.”

“Make sure to say thank you to the host or hostess for the meal. When you are done eating, place your fork and knife crossways on your plate. This will indicate that you are done eating. You can also place your napkin over your silverware.”

“Smile, smile, smile. Don’t worry about being so proper that you forget to have a good time.”

As the meal finished up and students filed back to their classrooms, they were a more respectful bunch than the one that had initially come into the lunchroom. Whether the effect is permanent or not, the lessons learned are now stored in their memories, ready to emerge when needed!

efforts, is an inspiring thing. “It’s really been a good way to do it,” DeWitt said. “We’ve had great success over the last years doing it this way.”

Rick Hatch echoed the sentiments. “This has turned into such a good night for us here.”

The out of the box thinking has already paid dividends in parent-teacher relations; hopefully, it will continue to serve the students and the community well going forward.

Students had the chance to try out some of their etiquette learning. Sara Smith, Alexis Carroll, Rachel Hamilton, Taylor Simmons, Justin Hatch, Lisa Barfuss

Proper pasta eating was on the agenda for the Etiquette class.

Alexis Carroll and Justin Hatch demonstrate proper table behavior for students at Thirkill.

Teacher Rick Hatch and Counselor Walt Eiman welcome students and their families to Parent-Teacher night.

Teacher Heather Hendren was on hand to discuss many of her students' projects.

Legislative Update--

Rep. Josh Wheeler

As we move deeper into the legislative session, I find myself reflecting on the progress we have made and the important work still ahead. This past week marked a significant milestone with the advancement of House Bill 345, which will bring meaningful changes to the operation of Medicaid throughout Idaho. This bill represents a shift toward a more sustainable and effective system, ensuring that resources are used efficiently while continuing to serve those in need.

Several other key pieces of legislation advanced this week as well. I was pleased to see continued momentum in reducing unnecessary regulatory burdens, allowing businesses and professionals to operate more freely while maintaining public safety and accountability. One major win was the passage of a bill that streamlines statewide building codes and introduces virtual inspection options, which will improve efficiency in the construction industry.

On a personal note, I was especially gratified to see House Concurrent Resolution 011, which supports youth entrepreneurship, pass to the Senate floor. Encouraging young Idahoans to engage in business and innovation is critical for our state’s future, and I’m proud to have been part of this effort. Additionally, my bill to streamline journeyman and master electrician licensing (HB 153) continues to move through the legislative process. In addition, I was able to have the Joint Legislative Oversight Council approve a research project by the Office of Performance Evaluation to improve the reliability and modernization of our 911 system.

On Monday of this week, I presented 4 separate bills on the floor of the house and was able to see three of those bills pass on to the Senate. In the healthcare space, the bill providing continuing education credits for medical preceptors (H 242) is making progress, ensuring that we support those who mentor and train the next generation of medical professionals.

I am committed to finding more solutions to improve the environment for our providers and patients in the Idaho healthcare system.

One of the most interesting days this week, came when we debated HB378, a bill designed to increase reporting requirements regarding travel for legislators paid for by 3rd parties. I thought it gave us as legislators appropriate, added transparency and was glad to support it. Opponents of the bill were so concerned about it that the tried to disrupt the regular order of business with a motion for a call of the house. Very unusual, and ultimately fruitless, as the bill passed with overwhelming support.

With each passing week, I am reminded of the responsibility we have to find solutions that truly serve Idahoans. I deeply appreciate the engagement and feedback from those back home, as it helps guide the work we do here in the Capitol. Thank you for your continued trust and support—I look forward to the important discussions and decisions still to come.

Sincerely,

Josh Wheeler Idaho State Representative, District 35

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Legislative Update-Senator Mark Harris

Dear friends and neighbors — We win some and we lose some. Senate Bill 1145 (S1145) is one of our unfortunate losses. S1145 is a bill I sponsored that dealt with Early Literacy Readiness Programs for 4- and 5-year-olds. Research shows about 47% of kindergarten students are not reading “at grade level” when assessed in the fall. This is due to the lack of early childhood support in communities and for parents who cannot afford preschool. S1145 empowers local school districts by allowing them to use existing special education funds to support early literacy efforts. The bill did not create new spending and promoted local control to use resources where they would be most effective. It basically freed up funds currently locked up in grades K-3 and allowed districts to use the funds to get younger kids ready for kindergarten with no mandate to do so. S1145 was voted out of the Senate Education Committee with a do-pass recommendation but died on the Senate floor. This was another case of anti-public-school groups flexing their political muscle.

House Bill 345 (H345) passed the Senate this week and was sent to the Governor. H345 is a significant bill that overhauls the Medicaid system in Idaho. It sets up a cost sharing plan as well as requesting a work requirement for Medicaid recipients from the federal government. The bill also moves medical providers from a Value Care Organization (VCO) system to what is called a Managed Care Organization (MCO) system. An MCO is basically a healthcare plan managed by insurance companies. The idea behind this is to save money. H345 also changes the way hospitals are reimbursed from the Medicaid system. The bill has a provision that addresses the possibility of the federal government failing to adhere to the agreement that was made to reimburse the State. In this case, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare can “take any action necessary to offset the increase in State funding”. In other words, the department can make adjustments until the Legislature reconvenes next Legislative Session when they can address any shortfall. It is important to note, the bill does not get rid of

The Senate Local Government and Taxation Committee voted to advance a $100 million ongoing property tax bill this week. House Bill 304 (H304) will now go to the Senate floor to be debated. This is the third tax bill this year set to reduce taxes for Idaho citizens. I will be curious to hear more about H304. We are seeing quite a few appropriation and finance bills on the Senate floor now. This is a good sign that this Legislative Session is winding down. We hope to see the last few budget bills next week as long as the Joint Finance and Appropriation Committee (JFAC) can continue to work together to approve budgets and send them to the respective floors for final votes. It has been interesting to watch legislators work to get things done before the various committee chairs shut down their committees. As the Legislative Session moves forward, it is apparent that many issues and ideas will have to wait to be taken up next Legislative Session. I continue to be blessed by having the privilege and honor to serve the good people of Legislative District 35. Please feel free to share your thoughts, concerns, and any questions you have about legislation before the Legislature or about State government in general. You can email me at mharris@senate.idaho. gov or call me at 208-332-1308.

War on Weeds—weeds are everybody’s problem

THE ISSUE: Scotch thistle

White bryony (Bryonia alba) is a perennial climbing vine that is native to Eurasia. It was originally introduced into the U.S. in the 1970’s. It invades residential and other forested areas. It causes significant damage as it climbs trees, shrubs, and structures. All parts of this plant are poisonous to humans and livestock, especially the roots and berries.

White bryony vines can grow up to 12 feet long, forming dense mats of vegetation on trees and shrubs. White bryony can block out sunlight, which can kill the host species, or it can cause branches to break off when loaded with snow. It grows extremely fast, up to 6 inches per day. It has dark green leaves that are palmately lobed. Each leaf is associated with a tendril, allowing it to grasp on to a tree or shrub, giving it stability as it climbs. It has a stout root system that can be up to 18 inches in length. Flowers are white to yellow or yellow to green in color and are approximately ½ inch in diameter. Each flower has 5 petals and is found in clusters at the leaf axil. Green berries develop, as they mature, they turn black in color.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Options:

• Prevention— Learn to identify this plant. Never transport unknown plant material.

inches below the soil surface. After removing White bryony monitor the area closely, digging out regrowth as needed. Make sure that you wear protective clothing as this weed is poisonous.

Sherrie Wise Advertising sherrie.w@thecityjournals.com

Phone: 208-766-4773 www.cariboucountynews.com

• Mechanical— Digging out the roots of White bryony can be an effective control method if done correctly. Dig out roots in the fall after the leaves have died back and ensure that the roots are cut 3-5

• Chemical— Glyphosate when applied using the ‘cut stem’ method is an effective control method. This method can be used any time of the year. Cut stems 3-4 inches below the soil surface and then apply concentrated glyphosate to the cut stems (just enough to wet the surface). This allows the glyphosate to penetrate the root system, providing good control. Glyphosate is a non-selective herbicide, and it will kill other vegetation it contacts. Always read and follow herbicide label directions!

Justin Hatch, University of Idaho Extension Agriculture Educator in Caribou County. 208-547-3205 JLHatch@uidaho.edu

Medicaid like previous renditions of Medicaid legislation introduced during this Legislative Session. H345 is now on the Governor’s desk.

Photo courtesy of Robert Vidéki, Doronicum Kft., Bugwood.org

“Art Museum” held at Thirkill

Through a grant from Art Works, students at Thirkill elementary were treated to a special course in art from the Museum of Art in Idaho Falls. The museum, which bills itself as the “only art museum in Eastern Idaho” is both a gallery space and an educational facility. Through its work, it provides remote clinics to some of the more rural schools throughout this region of the state. Whether there may technically be other facilities that qualify as “art museums” or not in Eastern Idaho, the Museum of Art is certainly the largest and most well-equipped. The permanent location in Idaho Falls includes 5 galleries, an interactive learning/ art area, a classroom/workshop, and a gift store. The Museum explains that it “serves as a cultural gathering place where individuals of all ages and abilities gain confidence and independence in the creative process through exploration and self-expression.”

Last week, the gathering place was taken to the students themselves in Soda Springs. “This has been really fun,” PTO Secretary Amanda Larsen said. She was one of the many parents and volunteers in the cafeteria to help students participate in the museum. “It’s going well, and they’re having a good time learning.”

Larsen went on to explain some of the practical issues that led to the experience being brought into the school. “With the money we earned from the running last year, we wanted to bring a good experience to the kids. This is our ‘wish year’ and so this is one of the wishes we granted. The art museum is in here for kindergarten and third and fourth grades. They [museum teachers] are coming back on April 1 for first and second grade. The fourth grade is also going to be taking a field trip

to the museum. We’re glad we get to do this!”

Art educator Jamie Blake spent the morning and afternoon at Thirkill where she presented an overview of art concepts and techniques to curious students. The various kinds of mediums that artists might use were discussed, as well as the idea of how the work of artists can change over time to reflect different life experiences and approaches.

Students were first given a lesson in some art techniques and media, and then given the chance to put that learning into practice and generate a landscape artwork.

Parent helper Alison Allen explained that Blake had brought in “different types of paintings. They learned about the color wheel, and different types of art.”

Students were given time to work on their own project, which involved using oil pastels to create a landscape which could either attempt to be abstract in nature, or realistic. In some case, the direction was clear, while in others a certain mélange of both approached could be seen. “It looks like there’s about an even split between the two types,” Blake said, walking among the various projects. Some students used the opportunity to create and develop a completely imaginary place from whole cloth, while others attempted to capture the look and feeling of places that were meaningful to them.

A wide range of styles from the large and colorful to the finely detailed and subdued was on display. And in fact, the second half of the event involved students displaying their art for each other to examine.

With their art works set up on tables throughout the cafeteria, students “toured” the output of their classmates, pointing excitedly at the creations they especially liked

Fish and Game Corner

and talking about their own artwork with one another.

Throughout the event, parent volunteers, teachers, school staff, and others helped coordinate and manage the large room full of energetic kids. Members of the PTO like Amanda Larsen were there to help out, as well as to see how the students reacted to the museum’s visit, which was supported through a combination of different resources at the school.

Blake explained that “We are able to travel around to different elementary art classrooms within the Southeast Idaho area to teach them more about art and get them exposed to it. It’s technically third and fourth grade classrooms that we go to. But because Soda Springs is a rural area they qualify for all of the grades to get classroom time.”

In recounting the content of the lesson, Blake stated that “We talked about the different elements of art, the color wheel, and how artists change their style throughout their

10 reasons to go fishing during spring break

GAME

BY ROGER PHILLIPS, FISH AND

Fishing is fun

It’s as simple as that, and fishing is an activity that kids and adults can enjoy together. Kids under the age of 14 do not need a fishing license. Adults can buy a day license or an annual license through the gooutdoorsidaho.com app and start fishing immediately.

It’s simple and inexpensive

A basic fishing set up is very reasonably priced, and all the tackle you need to get started is a hook and worm with a weight or bobber attached. If you’re new to fishing and want to teach your kids, check out Fish and Game’s Learn to Fish webpage. Fish and Game also has a free rod loaner program at many state parks around Idaho.

There’s probably a place to fish close by

Idaho is rich with places to go fishing. Most Idaho communities have a

lake, reservoir or pond nearby, or in town, which are probably stocked with some kind of fish. To find out fishing spots near you, see Fish and Game's Fishing Planner (https://idfg. idaho.gov/ifwis/fishingPlanner/)

Fish and Game ramps up its trout stocking in March

As weather starts to warm and more waters become available, Fish and Game staff travels around the state stocking catchable-sized rainbow trout. About 60,000 trout will be stocked in March, and you can see where on the fish stocking webpage. https://idfg.idaho.gov/fish/stocking#stocking-schedule

Fishing is also a fun day trip

Maybe you live in parts of Idaho still buried in snow, which is not uncommon in March. Finding some open water to fish is usually a reasonable distance away for a day trip, which makes fishing a good excuse to get out of town for a day, or even a weekend. Getting outdoors is always healthy, and you can mix it with a

hike, boating, camping, and other fun activities.

You may get a meal out of the deal

Fish are tasty. Take a few home because a fish fry is a great way to conclude a day of fishing. As a bonus, fish caught in cold water tend to taste better, and no, it’s not an old wives’ tale. Algae blooms that can happen in warmer water may affect the taste of fish, but colder water has less algae.

Fishing is a lifetime activity

We understand kids are busy and have a lot going in their lives, but fishing is something they can do their whole lives, and eventually pass on to their children. It’s also an activity that can be done as a group outing or a solo adventure. There are also 40 different game fish species in Idaho, and many different ways to catch them, so you’re constantly learning and evolving as an angler.

Fishing is a year-round sport

It’s a safe bet that someone, somewhere in Idaho is fishing on every

lifetime. Then we let them choose between an abstract and a realistic landscape. It’s about half and half usually. We also like to give them access to materials that maybe they don’t use at home. So right now we’re using pastels today.”

The final element of the event gives students a chance to show off what they’ve done. “When they’re done creating, we’re going to quietly walk around and look at everyone’s artwork, so they everyone has a chance to observe what everyone else has created.”

Blake is an outreach educator at the Art Museum and is herself is a water color artist. With curricular funds across the state for things like art and music always being scarce, experiences like this one are very important for providing a rounded approach to content within the schools. Based on the reactions of the students to the “art museum,” the effects were very positive.

day of the year. Fish don’t hibernate, so there’s always something to be caught, and as a general rule, fishing improves with warmer spring weather and ramps up until the dog days of summer arrive.

Fish live in cool places

Even if the fish don’t cooperate and it’s a tough day of fishing, odds are good you’re in a really cool location where you can do other things, or just appreciate nature and your surroundings. Which leads us to….

Fishing is not all about catching fish

That may sound contradictory, but it’s true. Going fishing is stepping into the natural world where a child can discover a lot more than fish. Water is a magnet for all kinds of wildlife including shorebirds and waterfowl, water-based mammals such as beavers, otters, minks and muskrats. You may also encounter amphibians, such as frogs, or crustaceans like crawdads. If kids would rather explore than fish, let them. It’s all part of the fishing experience.

Jamie Blake from the Art Museum of Idaho provided instruction in various art techniques.

Olivia, Allie, Jace, and Jaxon with their artistic creations.

PTO Secretary Amanda Larsen helped out with the art museum on Thursday.

Word Worries

BY BRANDON HALL

When I talk to friends and colleagues working in education, they tend to do a lot of groaning about AI content. The reason, of course, is that because so much of the school system involves writing (and writing is the main output of AI generators), the issue of how to prevent plagiarism (and presumably maintain the importance of “real” learning) is occupying a lot of time and attention.

CUSTOMER

Clearly, there is no benefit to students from turning in assignments made by artificial intelligence other than making them better at asking for the right things from Chat Programs. Chat AIs constantly evolve based on user input, and every time someone gets found out for using one and then complains to the AI, it gets better at covering its tracks, so to speak. In my opinion, there isn’t really a “solution” to the problem. In the same way that math classes now basically recognize that calculators are useful tools in performing many mathematical tasks, eventually academic courses will transition to teaching students how to effectively use AI to help organize, shape, and inform writing rather than generate the content.

age. The word “idiot” originally referred to individuals who were unable to communicate outside themselves very easily. The term “idiopathic” refers to diseases that appear to arise from out of themselves.

In any case, an idiom is basically the same as an “expression, saying, or figure of speech” used in a defined area of by a defined group. In that sense, it’s similar to “colloquialism,” which is a definition that is limited to a certain area.

By JoAnn Derson

All of that is something of a bigger, future-oriented conversation. What I want to talk about here is the small observation several friends have passed on, which is that unless the AI is given the right parameters it has a very difficult time with the proper use of idioms. In fact, this is often how papers written by Chat bots are discovered.

An “idiom” is a word or phrase that is used in a specific way by particular groups of people, often in a way that is different from the literal meaning of the words involved. The word comes from the Greek “idios,” which refers to something that “pertains to oneself.” The word “idiosyncratic” has to do with personal language us-

In the United States as a whole, there are plenty of examples of region-defining idioms. One of the primary examples that is always raised is the way that carbonated, sweetened drinks are referred to. Idaho is a state that is actually on something of a fault line as far as the issue goes. The word “pop” is most commonly used in the Midwest, while the word “soda” is more commonly used in the northeast and the west coast. Both of those areas are responsible for migration to the mountain west—some from the northeast and some from the Midwest. As a result, both expressions are used here, though by groups with different origins. My family, which immigrated from the Midwest in the mid-1800s has always used “pop,” while my best childhood friend’s family, which came from New Jersey, always said “soda.” What we can all agree on is that it’s weird to use the word “Coke” to refer to soda pop, regardless of the specific brand, as they do in the south. Saying “soda pop” is also weird…

Anyway, the issue of idioms in some ways gets to an issue in language that can be a little hard to wrap your head around, which is the idea of what is “correct.” In short, the two broad schools of thought on the subject are usually referred to as “prescriptive” and “descriptive.”

The former holds that there are rules, and they should be followed in a sys-

BRAIN TEASERS

tematic way. One rule, for instance, is that a sentence cannot end with a preposition, because Latin phrases don’t allow for it (the same thing applies to infinitives, which should not be “split” according to prescriptive grammarians). Winston Churchill famously explained that “ending a sentence with a preposition is something up with which I will not put” in order to emphasize the point.

And that’s the limitation of prescription—it may be “more correct,” but it also may be less effective, as the focus can become the expression rather than the content. “Descriptive grammar” on the other hand, holds that the way people actually speak is more meaningful than how people “should” speak. It’s a way of acknowledging that people are going to say what they say, and no amount of force or martinet-like goading is likely to change that.

AI, of course, runs into exactly the problem of trying to split the difference. In order to sound authoritative, AI tends toward prescriptive expressions. As a result, it often sounds artificial, which it is. On the other hand, when trying to sound “real” AI has to try to use idioms accurately, not just within the sentence grammar, but within the location the communication occurs.

An AI could be in every way convincing here in Southeast Idaho, but if it called a drinking fountain a “bubbler” there’s no way anyone would believe it was a third generation farmer from Downey. Presumably, AI advances will eventually allow the software to overcome that barrier, but for now we should celebrate the idioms that make us who, and where, we are. As long as everyone agrees on the difference between a “ditch” and a “barrow pit,” a “highway” and a “freeway,” and which week “last Tuesday” refers to, there shouldn’t be any problem, right?

• Protect your broom by storing it handle side down. You can purchase wall clips at your local hardware store, and then it’ll be off the floor, ready when you are!

• The Vision Council offers tips to minimize digital eye strain: Use the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break and look at something 20 feet away.

• Use a strip of hook and loop tape to secure game controllers to their consoles. This way, you’ll never have to go looking for one when you’re ready to play.

• “Fill your sink with soapy hot water as you are cooking dinner. Your dirty pans and bowls can go right in the sink to soak. After dinner, they will be easy to wash.” — E.D. in South Carolina

• Make your stainless-steel sink sparkle by buffing it with a few drops of mineral oil and a soft rag, after a good cleaning, of course.

• “If a pocket or two on an over-thedoor shoe rack has busted, it’s not done being useful. You can cut remaining pockets to fit inside your bathroom cabinet. Secure at the top with screws. Place cups in a few pockets to hold cotton swabs or balls, etc.” — W.L. in Washington Send your tips to Now Here’s a Tip, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803.

© 2025 King Features Synd., Inc.

EVENT CALENDARS LUNCH MENUS

SODA SPRINGS/ CARIBOU COUNTY

March 21- Friday Catholic Daily Mass (9am)

IDAN-HA Movie

March 22- Saturday IDAN-HA Movie

March 23- Sunday Presbyterian Services

Caribou Bible Church Services Catholic Mass (8:30am) Open Arms Church Services LDS Services Hope Lutheran Church

March 24- Monday Catholic Daily Mass (9am)

March 26- Wednesday School Board Meeting (7:00 pm) Catholic Daily Mass (9am)

March 27- Thursday

Library Story Time (10am) Catholic Daily Mass (6:30pm) Addition Recovery Program (7pm)

IDAN-HA Movie

GRACE

March 21- Friday Midterm

March 23- Sunday LDS Services Caribou Bible Church (2 pm)

March 26- Wednesday HS Track @ Raft River

March 27- Thursday Jr/Sr Parent Teacher Conferences

BANCROFT

March 23- Sunday LDS Services

March 24- Monday Booster Club Meeting

NEWS OF RECORD

CARIBOU COUNTY SHERIFF

Jennie Irene Davis, Soda Springs, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50

Tayson K Davos, Malad, speeding (16 mph or over), $98.50, costs $56.50

Whitney Lee Swenson, Pocatello, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50

SODA SPRINGS POLICE

Jacob Robert Armstrong, Boise, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50

Stephanie Lyon Eastman, Honolulu, speeding (16 mph or over), $98.50, costs $56.50

BIRTHDAYS

Sidney Thompson, March 6

Helen Christensen, March 8

Charlie Gentry, March 10

Terre Lakey, March 10

St. Patricks Day, March 17

Carol Steffensen, March 17

SueAnn Turner, March 21

Matt Swope, March 22

Ann Hamm, March 23

Wendy Lewis, March 23

Tanae Kole Crump, March 24

Gayle Powell, March 26

Robbie Lamarr, March 26

Chavez Marion Morales, Soda Springs, fails to yield or stop upon approach of an emergency or police vehicle, $33.50, costs $56.50

Stephen P Siciliano, Rochester, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50

IDAHO STATE POLICE

Lex R Peterson, Blackfoot, speeding (16 mph or over), $98.50, costs $56.50

John Heling Shensampas, San Francisco, speeding (16 mph or over), $98.50, costs $56.50

SODA SPRINGS LUNCH MENU

Lunches served with Milk

Monday, March 24 Chicken Nuggets, chips

Tuesday, March 25 Breakfast scramble, muffin

Peggy Gould, March 28

Jerry Bush, March 29

Carolyn Hunsaker, March 30

Charles Fryar, March 30

Kacelyn Kole Crump, March 31

Dorothy Cox, March 31

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

Wednesday, March 26

Chicken noodle soup, breadstick

Thursday, March 27 Crispito, tortilla chips

NORTH GEM LUNCH MENU

Milk and Choice of Bar Each Day NO SCHOOL SPRING BREAK

GRACE LUNCH MENU

Lunches served with Milk

Monday, March 24

HAMBURGER, Tots FOOD CHOICES Fresh Veggies, Baked Beans, Mandarin Oranges

Tuesday, March 25 SPAGHETTI, Breadstick FOOD CHOICES Salad, Peaches

Wednesday, March 26

CHICKEN TENDERS, Potatoes/ Gravy, Roll FOOD CHOICES Corn, Pears

Thursday, March 27

CORN DOG Mac & Cheese FOOD CHOICES Roasted Broccoli, Tropical Fruit

CARIBOU COUNTY SENIOR CITIZENS' MENU

Every meal served with Juice/Milk/Coffee

Mar. 21 - Hamburger Rice, Casserole, Peas & Carrots, Potato Bread, Birthday Cake &,Ice cream*

March 26 - Taco Soup, Spinach Strawberry, Salad, Corn Bread, Gingersnaps

*Birthday Cake and Ice Cream is served in-house only!

ON THIS DAY

1774 The British parliament passes first of the Intolerable Acts: the Boston Port Act, which closed Boston harbor until colonists would pay for damages following the Boston Tea Party

1800 Alessandro Volta reports his discovery of the electric battery in a letter to Joseph Banks, president of the Royal Society of London

1852 Harriet Beecher Stowe's anti-slavery novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin" is published in Boston

1854 Boston Public Library open in Boston, Massachusetts as the first large free municipal library in the U.S.

1886 First AC power plant in U.S. begins commercial operation in Massachusetts

1930 American fast food restaurant chain Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) is founded as Sanders Court & Café by Colonel Harland Sand-

ers in North Corbin, Kentucky

1976 American publishing heiress Patty Hearst convicted of armed robbery for her part in 1974 California heist

1996 Erik & Lyle Menendez found guilty of killing their parents

1999 Legoland, California, the first Legoland outside of Europe, opens in Carlsbad, California

2016 Barack Obama becomes the first U.S. President to visit Cuba since 1928, arriving for a three-day tour with First Lady Michelle

2019 Finland is the world's happiest country, South Sudan is world's least happy, according to annual World Happiness Report

2019 The Walt Disney Company acquires Rupert Murdoch's 21st Century Fox entertainment business for $71 billion

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.

2020

Governor Brad Little has announced that Idaho is adopting the latest guidance from the Trump Administration and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to slow the spread of coronavirus. Idaho is currently reporting nine confirmed cases of COVID-19. Counties with confirmed cases include Ada, Blaine, Madison, and Teton. Public health officials said there is no confirmation that community spread is occurring in the state at this time. Community spread occurs when people contract the virus from an unknown source in their community. Idahoans are encourages to not visit nursing homes, or longterm care facilities unless providing critical assistance, but should still find ways to connect with loved ones in those facilities, such as phone, text, Facetime, and others. Discretionary travel, and social gatherings of more than 10 people should also be avoided, according to the Trump White House and Governor Little. “If you are in the category of our vulnerable population,” Governor Little said, “the elderly or health-compromised, please stay home and away from other people for the next few weeks. Idahoans need to be there for each other and reach out to neighbors and family members who need their support. The governor encouraged school districts to follow the latest CDC guidelines for school closure when considering whether to close school for a period of time. “I am not mandating categorical closure of schools and other establishments at this time. Local leaders and operators of those facilities will make their own judgement calls about whether to do that. Idaho is a very diverse and expansive state. A solution for the one area might not be a solution for another part of the state.”

Sheriff Kelly Wells informed the Grace City Council that Caribou County and many of the surrounding counties have a text to 911 system that can be used if calling is not available. He asked that the city leaders help spread the word and if they are ever somewhere that texts will go through and not a call, like in the mountains, to use the 911 text system. He informed them he has signs he can put up to notify people that they can use this new system.

2015 Lava Hot Springs will host a Cake Walk and Musical Squares Pre-Birthday Party Event. This event is one of the many planned for the town’s 100th birthday celebration. Party hats and costumes are encouraged.

The Grace Wrestling Club made up of wrestlers grades pre-Kindergarten through 9 is dedicated to providing young wrestlers the opportunity to wrestle throughout the year. The club functions in addition to the high school, middle school, and elementary programs. This past Saturday the club attended the IDAWAY Invitational hosted by Blackfoot High School. Wrestlers who competed were Cole Younger, Carter Kimball, Braden Kimball, Cade Kimball, Mason Partain, Cash Spenser, Coy Shupe, Clayton Lunt, Will Cutler, Wyatt Cutler, Bray Skinner, and Rhett Jorgensen. Place winners were 1st: Carter Kimball, Clayton Lunt, Coy Shupe and Will Cutler; 2nd: Mason Partain, Brayden Kimball; 3rd: Bray Skinner, Cash Spencer, and Wyatt Cutler.

2010 Information is being sought in the unlawful killing of a mule deer doe. On March 2, Idaho Dept of Fish and Game Conservation Officer Nathan Stohosky discovered a dead mule deer doe on the Sant Road in Caribou County, approximately one mile north of the intersection of Fish Hatchery Road and Sant Road. The carcass was partially visible from the road when it was discovered. An investigation revealed a small caliber bullet hole in the neck of the deer, and

no parts of the animals were taken.

A routine traffic stop resulted in felony arrests and the seizure of 10 pounds of marijuana Saturday night in Soda Springs, SSPD Officer Tyler Scheierman said. The Officer made a traffic stop on a vehicle eastbound on Highway 30 through Soda Springs for a traffic violation. Two Oregon men were arrested as a result of a search of the vehicle and both were charged with felony counts of drug trafficking and conspiracy to traffic drugs.

Using poignant illustrations of his own life, spiced with humor and one liners packed with wisdom. Dr. Vincent Muli Kituku brought home the need for dreams, change and caring to Soda Springs High School and Middle School students as part of the Lock-In activities. Dr. Kituku, originally from Kenya, is a motivational speaker and business trainer who draws on his rich cultural heritage and experience in corporate America to help others gain success in their lives.

2005 Dr. Mark and Larisa Harris hosted a Carribbean cruise recently for his staff of full-time and part-time employees at the Caribou Dental Clinic. The tour group flew from the Salt Lake airport in February to Houston where they boarded a Norwegian cruise ship for a seven day vacation, with port stops in Cozumel, Cancun, the Island of Roatan in Hondurus, and Belize. Tour members included Ann Randall, Faun Herd, Carol Woods, Gaylene Hopkins, Lanett Lau and husband Barry, Tamara Jensen and husband Tad, DeDe and Russell Clark, Wynn and Alan Crawford, and Marsha and Lawrence Rigby.

The Grace and North Gem High School wrestling team held their annual awards banquet Friday at the North Gem High school cafeteria. A dutch oven dinner prepared by Bill Jorgensen was enjoyed by all. Coach Justin Williams expressed his appreciation to his assistant coaches, Craig Pearson, Trevor Williams, and Brian Hook. He also thanked his managers for their hard work this year. The following wrestlers were honored for their outstanding effort this year: Brett Becklund—Outstanding Wrestler; Jake Millward—Most Dedicated; Shayde Stotts—Most Improved; Skylar Stotts—Best new-comer; Reed Crandall—Most Takedowns; Kim Fransden—Most pins; Tate Harris—Most Reversals; Shane Harris— Most escapes.

Bonnie Barker, daughter of Dow and Deanne of Soda Springs, was presented her Young Womanhood award and medallion by LDS bishop Mark Harris during Eighth Ward sacrament meeting Sunday, March 13.

2000

Jon Bunderson, K-9 Officer for the Soda Springs Police Department, displayed a cast of a partial track of what he believes is a wolf or wolflike canine near his home on Rabbit Hill in Wood Canyon. The officer has K-9s, a bloodhound for tracking, and several sled dogs. Bunderson believes his dogs are what has drawn the wolf to his area for the second time this winter. The first sighting was over a month ago when his dogs were “Acting funny” one night. He shined a light up the hill and saw a dark, wolf-like animal that immediately took off. A researcher familiar with wolves looked at the track and said it was a high probability of being a wolf or hybrid. A dark colored animal meeting the same description was the center of trapping efforts late last fall near Conda, about five miles to the north, after it killed several sheep. The animal was never caught before the sheep were moved out.

The Grace-Shaun-Dels brought home three first place trophies when they traveled to Idaho Falls last weekend. They competed in Novelty, Military, and Dance categories against five other A-3 teams. The ShaunDels received a first in Novelty and Military. In the category Show, the Shaun-Dels competed with the A-2 Division where they received another first.

On Sunday the 12th, the Soda Springs Baptist Church held their first service in their new sanctuary, and it was easy to see why a new sanctuary

was needed, Pastor Jess McMurray noted. Even though the new facility is twice the size of the old one, it was filled to capacity with worshippers and visitors. The new building was started in the summer of 1999. Not only does the new church have greatly improved handicap access, it also boasts of the latest in multi-media equipment for showing slides and videos. The up-to-date sound system also enhances the music praise and worship portion of the service.

1995

Caribou County Junior Miss presents “Hooray for Hollywood” on March 25. This year, 28 young women have signed up for the scholarship program. The girls participating in the event this year are: Emma Lee Call, Amanda Tingey, Summer Erickson, Ann Hart, Gwen Roberts, Whitney Lenay Wistisen, Amanda Monk, Marie Westbrook, Cheryl Lynn Ackerman, Traci Ellen Sorensen, Lindsay White, Danelle Dooley, Corrine Kator, Aileen Marie Perkins, Dawn Marie Yost, Camille Walters, Hilary Rigby, Danielle Lish, Julianne Balls, Sara Johnson, Julie Conlin, Rebecca Hook, Melissa Renee Bowman, Kimberly Kaylyn Wistisen, Sarah Kempe, Roxanne Redford, Sheila Jones, and Tanya Yost.

The Soda Springs Cardette Drill Team took first place in show and 3rd place in military at the Intermountain Drill Team competition in Idaho Falls on March 17 and 18.

The Idaho State Women’s Bowling Association 52nd Annual Idaho State Bowling Association Championship Tournament in Pocatello has concluded its third week of competition. The tournament is in its second year of two division competitions. It previously consisted of three divisions. The tournament will run for six weeks. In Division II team Handicap, Doubles Handicap, in first place were Billie Smith and Debby Bassett of Soda Springs with 1,442.

1975

Second Lieutenant Norman K. Johnson of the Army Medical Corp was awarded the Army Commendation Medal by the U.S. Army for Meritorious Service, as special assistant to the Executive Officer, Administrative Officer for the Department of Clinics and Adjutant U.S. Army Medical Department Activity, Fort Eustis, Virginia, rom January 1973 to October 1974. The citation reads: “Lt. Johnson consistently exhibited a high level of intelligence and managerial ability. Because of his demonstrated competence he was tasked with implementing the Fort Eustis Ambulatory Patient Care Program. Through his conscientious efforts, and thorough planning, the program received great emphasis and the problems encountered were met with minimum difficulty. His ability to work well with subordinates, peers, and supervisors alike earned him the respect of all with whom he associated and proved him to be a dynamic

leader. Second Lt. Johnson’s exemplary performance of duty reflects great credit upon himself, the Army Medical Department, and the United States Army.” Norman is married to the former Nina Varley. They are the parents of two twin boys, Nickolas and Douglas, and are now living in Grace, Idaho. Thirty-two new Stretch-and-Sew patterns have been added to the pattern collection at the Soda Library. Included in these new patterns are Ladies halter tops, Men’s swim trunks, little girls one and two piece swim suits, little boys’ swim trunks, children’s raglan sleeve top, ladies blazer, men’s slacks and shorts, children’s tab front shirt, ladies tennis dress and tennis shorts, mens’ safari shirt and jacket. The library is now receiving the following papers: Idaho State Journal, Caribou County Sun, Wall Street Journal, and the Salt Lake Tribune. Three new magazines have been added, House Beautiful, the Saturday Review, and Seventeen.

1970 Cowboy Roundup by Leon Perkins—The junior and senior classes have been holding joint discussion to decide the plans for their annual “Junior-Senior Prom” to beheld March 28. The dance will be centered around the theme “A Time for Us” from the film “Romeo and Juliet”. The classes have chosen colors of royal purple and orchid. A standing committee with members from both classes has been set up. The members are Katie Schenk, chairman; Lafe Holbrook, Jay Simons, Leon Perkins, Patricia Jenkins, Joann Hebdon and Ken Duce.

IDAN-HA THEATRE

-INDOOR-

Thursday, March 20

Friday, March 21

Saturday, March 22

Snow White (PG)

A princess joins forces with seven dwarfs to liberate her kingdom from her cruel stepmother the Evil Queen. A live-action adaptation of the 1937 Disney animated film 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'. Thursday, Friday & Saturday 6:00 p.m. and 8:35 p.m.

Saturday Matinee 2:00 p.m. (All seats $5)

Wednesday, March 26 6:00 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. (All seats $5)

208-547-3282

2024 - Kathleen Campbell and her former student, guest conductor Teresa Norton following last week’s orchestra performance.

RAÚL R. LABRADOR

ATTORNEY GENERAL STATE OF IDAHO

THOMAS A. DONOVAN

DIVISION CHIEF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES DIVISION

JEREMY C. YOUNGGREN

Lead Deputy Attorney General

450 W. State St., 10th Floor Boise, Idaho 83702

Telephone: (208) 332-7984

ISB No. 9508

Electronic Service: tammy. laveauxhayes@dhw.idaho.gov

IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF SIXTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT OF THE STATE OF IDAHO, IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF CARIBOU

IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATES OF MICHAEL L. HOUSEMAN, Deceased. Case No. CV15-25-0022

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

(I.C. § 15-3-801)

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, State of Idaho, Department of Health and Welfare, has been appointed personal representative of the above-named decedents. 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 the undersigned at the address indicated and filed with the Clerk of the Court.

DATED: 2/21/25 /s/ State of Idaho, Department of Health and Welfare

By: ANGELA TOOMEY,

Bureau Chief Idaho Division of Medicaid

#1077-3-6-13-20-25-T3

Lane V. Erickson (ISB#: 5979)

RACINE OLSON PLLP

P. O. Box 1391

Pocatello, Idaho 83204-1391

Telephone: (208) 232-6101

Fax: (208) 232-6109

Email: lane@racineolson.com

IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF THE SIXTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT OF THE STATE OF IDAHO IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF CARIBOU

In the Matter of the Estate of:

JAMES CLEVE WEAVER, Deceased.

Case No. CV15-25-0050

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that LARRY QUINN WEAVER has been appointed personal representative of the estate of the above-named decedent. All persons having claims against the decedent or the estate are required to present their claims within four (4) months after the date of the first publication of this Notice or said claims will be forever barred. Claims must be presented to the undersigned at the address indicated and filed with the Clerk of the Court. DATED this 4th day of March, 2025.

RACINE OLSON PLLP

By: /S/LANE V. ERICKSON LANE V. ERICKSON

Attorney for Personal Representative P. O. Box 1391

Pocatello, Idaho 83204-1391

lane@racineolson.com

#1079-03-13-20-27-25-T3

NOTICE OF TRUSTEE'S SALE

On Friday, the 27th day of June, 2025, at the hour of 10:00 o'clock a.m. of said day at Alliance Title & Escrow, 71 E. 1st S. Soda Springs, in the County of Caribou, State of Idaho, Ryan M. Fawcett, as Successor Trustee, will sell at public auction, to the highest bidder, for cash, in lawful money of the United States, all payable at the time of sale, the following described real property situated in the County of Caribou, State of Idaho, and described as follows, towit: Lot 12, Finlayson Subdivision, Soda Springs, Caribou County, Idaho, according to the official plat thereof, as filed in the office of the County Recorder of Caribou County, Idaho, under recorder’s Instrument No. 85617.

The Successor Trustee has no knowledge of a more particular description of the abovereferenced real property, but for purposes of compliance with Section 60113, Idaho Code, the Successor Trustee has been informed that the street address of 360 N. 7th E., Soda Springs, Idaho, is sometimes associated with said real property.

The Art of Making a Herd Bull Budget

BY ALLISON ELIASON

Buying herd bulls this year might be looking a little but different for ranchers these days. They just might be going to a handful more sales than they usually do, circling out far and wide until they have what they need this season. Why? Simple. Because prices are high this year.

Buying bulls can be a complicated decision to make. The program a rancher is operating on, will lead directly to the decisions he will make looking at the next crop of herd bulls he will buy. To begin, producers start looking for a specific breed that will either cross with the breed of his cows to bring on some heterosis or hybrid vigor or stay within the maternal breed making the offspring a purebred calf. Once a producer decides on a breed then they begin comparing sires within that breed, both phenotypically and their expected progeny data. They need a bull that will travel well to cover the cows and distance between the cows well. They need a bull that has energy and stamina, so it won’t quit and stay at the watering hole after just a few weeks. They need a bull that is big and shapely but not too big that he won’t be feed efficient or squash a cow as he goes to service them.

At the same time, he needs to drop calves that have a lower birth weight and easy calving ease. But the birth weight can’t be too low because smaller calves struggle to thrive in their first days or even weeks. But too big of calves can cause a lot of problems, especially in first calf heifers. These bulls need to drop calves that pick-up weight fast, having a high weaning weight, and an even higher yearly weight, demonstrating that they will grow well on their mothers and at the feed bunk.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Notice is hereby given that a public hearing will be held before the Planning and Zoning Commission of the City of Soda Springs, Idaho, on the 8th day of April 2025 at 6:05 P.M., at City Hall located at 9 West 2nd South, Soda Springs, Idaho, for the purpose to consider a proposed Zoning Amendment and Reclassification Application for one (1) land parcel for business purposes. The property involved in this request is as follows:

Lot 11 in Block 2 in the City of Soda Springs, ID. Parcel Identification Number: 015008002011.

All persons present at the public

hearings shall be allowed to be heard. Written comments or objections may be submitted to the Planning & Zoning Secretary at 9 West 2nd South, Soda Springs, Idaho 83276, or email chelseyd@sodaspringsid.com.

Any person needing special accommodations to participate in the above hearing should contact Soda Springs City Hall at 208-547-2600 at least seven (7) days before the hearing.

Dated this 17th day of March 2025.

Chelsey Davids, Planning & Zoning Secretary

#1081-3-20-27-25-T2

Said sale will be made without covenant or warranty regarding title, possession or encumbrances to satisfy the obligation secured by and pursuant to the power of sale conferred in the Deed of Trust executed by DON VERL ROSE and KAYLA ROSE, Husband and Wife, and DEBRA BROWNING, an Unmarried Woman, Grantor, to Ryan M. Fawcett, Successor Trustee, for the benefit and security of MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC, recorded March 19, 2024, as Instrument No. 212596, Mortgage records of Caribou County, Idaho; and assigned to the IDAHO HOUSING AND FINANCE ASSOCIATION by Assignment of Deed of Trust recorded on December 23, 2024, as Instrument No. 213939, Mortgage records of Caribou County, Idaho. THE ABOVE GRANTOR IS NAMED TO COMPLY WITH SECTION 451506 (4)(a), IDAHO CODE. NO REPRESENTATION IS MADE THAT THEY ARE, OR ARE NOT, PRESENTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS OBLIGATION.

Said sale is a public auction for which the bid price must be paid immediately upon close of bidding by certified funds in the form of cashier’s checks, certified checks, or valid money orders only. If the Trustee is unable to convey title for any reason whatsoever, the successful bidder’s exclusive and sole remedy shall be the return of actual monies paid to the Successor Trustee and the successful bidder shall have no further recourse.

The default for which this sale is to be made is the failure to pay when due, monthly installment payments under the Deed of Trust Note dated March 15, 2024, in the amount of $2,269.87 each, for the months of July, 2024 through January, 2025, inclusive. All delinquent payments are now due, plus accumulated late charges, plus all escrow advances, plus any costs or expenses associated with this foreclosure. The accrued interest is at the rate of 7.00% per annum from June 1, 2024, and the Beneficiary elects to sell or cause the trust property to be sold to satisfy said obligation. The principal balance owing as of this date on the obligation secured by said Deed of Trust is $289,179.75, plus accrued interest at the rate of 7.00% per annum from June 1, 2024.

DATED This 26th day of February, 2025.

RYAN M. FAWCETT, a Member of the Idaho State Bar, SUCCESSOR TRUSTEE

#1080-03-13-20-27-04-0325-T4

Their sons need to have large ribeye areas and high marbling if sold to the feedlot or high scrotal circumference if it will be the next generation of herd bulls. Their daughters need to have good milk production, but not too much that they might develop mastitis or hypocalcemia, better known as milk fever if they choose to keep them as replacement heifers.

Their own numbers like PAP scores, a demonstration of their ability to thrive at high elevations, and scrotal circumference, a direct indicator of the number of sperm produced by a bull, are important to know how they will produce in reality, not just on paper.

The age of the herd bulls can play into a producer's buying decision as well. Does he get a more mature bull that is a long yearling or two year old that will cost more because of the extra year or growing. Or does he save a little with the yearling bull that becomes fertile at approximately eleven months.

If a rancher really didn’t care about what he was throwing in the herd, these traits and information wouldn’t matter. But since every rancher’s hope is that they are improving the genetics of each generation, they want to find bulls with strong traits. The problem comes that the best bulls are obviously wanted the most and therefore come at quite a price. This is where the mental negotiations begin- what to give up to get what producer wants most.

Is it safer to put in a little more expenses and get the bull with the traits a rancher really wants, hoping that it means better genetics in his future herd? Or is it better to lower the budget, set lower expectations in the sires genetics and hope that while the calves might be smaller and bring a smaller check at the end of the season, the fewer expenses will offset that in the long run.

The high cattle prices of 2025 are making these decisions even harder for beef producers. The US cattle inventory is at an all time low over the last 65 five years at 86.7 million, dropping 2% or 500,000 cows in the last year. Drought, increased expenses, changing demographics, and such are pushing ranchers to cull hard and replace only what is absolutely necessary.

It might seem that a flooded market of feeder and fat cattle would drop cattle prices, but in reality, the shrinking herd size currently has a greater impact on cattle prices. A limited supply of cattle means that there is a limited supply of herd bulls, specifically the best herd bulls with the best genetics.

So the question remains, how much is too much to spend on a bull that could have a big impact on a producer's cattle genetics and program. A little reverse math might answer that.

Let's say a producer was willing to spend a little bit more on a new bull and cut a check $10,000. A bull likely will be in service for 4-5 years before he is culled due to injury, temperament, or fertility issues and then be sold for about one third of his original cost. For this bull, he would likely sell for $3300, making his actual cost $6,600.

In his career as a herd bull, he will sire 100-125 calves. (25 calves in a season for 4-5 seasons). To cover the cost of that bull, those calves would have to be worth at least $660, not to mention the added expense of the mother and raising that calf.

A more simple, quick math equation sets a budget at 2.5 times the price of a finished, ready to be harvested, steer or 5 times the price of a steer calf. March numbers average the price for a finished 1400 pound steer around $2,700. This would set a herd bull budget at $6,750. Current steer calf prices for a 550 pound calf set their price around $1800. Multiplying that by 5 would set a budget at $9,000. These numbers and equations aren’t set in stone but producers that contract early and have this type of figure in mind, might find this estimated budget to be more useful. No one can set the budget for a producer, although it might feel that way. The good news is that when herd bull prices trend upwards, so do calf prices. Coming into a sale with a budget and plan in mind for what any operation needs, puts that rancher in the driver's seat.

‘Help with housing’: Idaho Senate passes property tax reduction bill

BY CLARK CORBIN, IDAHO CAPITAL SUN

The Idaho Senate voted unanimously Monday to pass a bill that seeks to reduce property taxes and pay down school districts’ bond issues and levies.

The Idaho Senate voted 35-0 to pass House Bill 304.

If passed into law, House Bill 304 would do a couple of things. The bill would transfer $50 million to a state fund to reduce property taxes for Idaho homeowners. It also would send another $50 million to a state fund that helps pay off school districts’ bond issues and levies.

To make those two transfers, the bill reduces state revenue by $100 million every year. Sens. Scott Grow, R-Eagle, and Doug Ricks, R-Rexburg, co-sponsored the bill in the Idaho Senate.

“These amounts help with housing,” Grow said.

“The monthly mortgage payment gets reduced by a reduction in property taxes,” Grow added. “It helps young people trying to get into homes. It helps the older people who are retired that are trying to stay in their homes.”

House Bill 304 is the third major tax cut the Idaho Legislature has passed this year.

House Bill 40 reduces the corporate and individual income tax rates from 5.695% to 5.3% and reduces state revenue by $253 million per year.

House Bill 231 increases the grocery tax credit used to offset the sales tax Idahoans pay on food to $155 per year. To increase the grocery tax credit, House Bill 231 reduces state revenue by $50 million every year.

Combined, the three bills reduce state revenue by $403 million.

Another new law this year, House Bill 93, provides a refundable tax credit for education expenses for families, including tuition at private, religious schools. That bill reduces revenue by $50 million – bringing total revenue reductions from those

four bills to $453 million.

Senate Minority Leader Melissa Wintrow, D-Boise, voted in favor of the bill because she said property taxes and housing affordability are two of the issues her constituents are most concerned about. But Wintrow said she is worried about the amount of state revenue that will be reduced to pass all of the tax cuts.

“We’re over $400 million in revenue reductions as we go forward,” Wintrow said.”And this bill is continuously appropriated, so every year, $100 million is going to go this way. And so what I would hope is that next year we don’t forget that, and that we don’t do another income tax rebate that really only benefits the wealthiest at the top.”

Wintrow said she wished legislative leaders acted on the property tax bill before passing the income tax cut and grocery tax credit increase this year.

“I’m happy to do the property tax relief, but I think this should have been the first and foremost (tax cut) right out of the gate, not the last one,” Wintrow said. “Because now we’re adding on more permanent revenue reductions that will potentially be harmful to the very people that demand the services that we need in our state.”

The Idaho House of Representatives has already voted 68-0 to pass House Bill 304.

House Bill 304 heads next to Gov. Brad Little for final consideration. Once the bill reaches his desk, Little will have five days to sign it into law or veto it. If Little does not take action within five days, the bill will become law without his signature.

During a breakfast with reporters in February, Little said he was concerned by the amount of revenue that will be reduced by the three major tax cuts and the education "tax credit.

“If I would have thought we could do $450 (million), I would have proposed $450 (million),” Little said Feb. 25.

Child Exploitation Case in Tremonton expands scope

We do not usually cover events in northern Utah counties for the simple reason that there are stories here in the state that usually take priority. The following statement was released on Monday of this week, and it seems that the seriousness and extent of the content raise it to something that may be of local concern. A statement from the Brigham City Police reads:

“On January 21, 2025, Brigham City Police Department was contacted by Tremonton/Garland Police Department regarding a child exploitation case that posed a conflict of interest to TGPD. Investigators with TGPD believed an employee of Tremonton City, Ned “Brady” Hansen, may be dealing in Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM).

Due to the conflict of interest, TGPD formally requested that BCPD handle the investigation moving forward. Our subsequent investigation resulted in the arrest of Hansen for eight counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, UCA §76-5B-201.

After Hansen’s arrest, the investigation continued. On February 25, 2025, additional information received by our detectives revealed another possible subject was involved. This individual was identified as Kevin

Christensen, a justice court judge.

Due to this far-reaching conflict of interest, BCPD sought the assistance of an outside agency unassociated with Box Elder County and even the First Judicial Court District of Utah.

We immediately passed both cases along to the Davis County Attorney’s Office and the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The Brigham City Police Department has not been involved with the investigation since that time but will continue to fully cooperate with the process moving forward.

Brigham City and its police department express our deepest sympathies to the victims of these alleged crimes. We hold our mission to protect all victims very dear. We aggressively and tirelessly pursue all perpetrators of crime. BCPD reveres the law and enforces it with impartiality, fairness and equality for all. We accept the charge of holding all those who violate the law accountable, despite the suspect’s identity, social status or prominence in the community.

Brigham City also greatly respects our system of justice and acknowledges all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.”

OBITUARY Janean Jackman Petersen

June 1, 1932 ~ March 10, 2025

Janean Jackman Petersen, 92 years of age of Soda Springs, Idaho passed peacefully at Heritage Senior Living of natural causes on March 10, 2025. She was born on June 1, 1932, in Salt Lake City, Utah. A daughter of Rulon Leo Jackman and Luella Florence Jenkins Jackman. She was the youngest of 3, she had a sister Leiola and a brother Lynn.

She married Melvin Collins Petersen in Portsmouth, Virginia on August 23, 1948. To this union, she was blessed with 7 children, 5 girls and 2 boys. Melvin and Janean later divorced in 1978, and Melvin passed on April 4, 2016.

Janean was preceded in death by her parents, brother Lynn and Sister Leiola, Melvin, her daughter Leann Preece and husband Dean Preece, her son Glen, son-in-law Delbert Goodwin and daughter-inlaw JoAnn Petersen.

She is survived by her daughter Terrie Goodwin of Taylorsville, UT, her daughter Jolynn and husband Dave Stults of Stansbury, UT, son Lane Petersen of Brigham City, UT,

THANK YOU

daughter Bonnie and husband Elwin Dana of Star Valley, WY, daughter Gloria and husband Steve Childs of Lapine, OR, twenty-five grandchildren, sixty-nine great-grandchildren and 42 great-great-grandchildren.

Graveside services will be held Friday, March 21, 2025, at 1:00 P.M. at the Providence City Cemetery, 925 River Heights Boulevard, Logan, UT

A thank you for those who assisted Brad during his fatal accident: Words are difficult to find to express our gratitude for the heroes in our lives. To the Stewart Bitton family, Caribou County Dispatch, Caribou County First Responders, Caribou County Sheriff’s Department, and the doctors, nurses and staff at Caribou Medical Center, Life Flight, and Portneuf Medical Center you are our heroes!

With our gratitude, the family of Brad Bitton.

Dublin Coddle

St. Patrick’s Day will officially be over by Tuesday, but if the past is any guide the week following St. Paddy’s Day is a good time to pick up overstocked brisket and sausage. You have probably already had a corned beef if you plan to, so here is a basic recipe for a conventional Irish dish called Dublin Coddle. The root flavor of the dish comes from a combination of slow cooked sausage and stout

Dublin Coddle

(generally Guinness), but a similar taste can be acquired through the use of stick in place of beer. If you’d like to try to authentic flavor, the alcohol does cook out of the beer, leaving the slightly bitter, savory flavor accents to mix in with the fat from the meat drippings. This recipe works best in a dutch oven, but a baking dish or a stovetop soup pot will also work.

½ pound of bacon, chopped into small pieces

1 pound of pork sausage

3 TB Flour

1 bottle stout, or cup and a half extra stock

2-3 pounds of red or gold potatoes

2 large or 3 medium onions, sliced

2 or so TB minced garlic

1 TB fresh oregano

4 TB diced parsley

2 bay leaves

1 tsp Thyme

2 cups beef broth

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Cook bacon in a skillet until crisp and remove from heat. Use the same skillet to brown the sausages, then cut them into the desired size. Bring skillet back up to temperature, add in flour, whisk, and cook for about 2 minutes. Move the liquid gravy to a dutch oven or baking dish and add the stout or extra 1.5 cups stock. Layer the sausage, potatoes, and other ingredients in the dish or dutch oven, adding broth between the layers.

Cover and bake for around two hours, occasionally adding broth if more liquid is needed.

Janean Jackman Petersen

Caribou County Commission Meeting 3/10

The Caribou County Board of Commissioners met for a regular meeting on March 10.

Kevin McLain—Road and Bridge

Director Kevin McLain reported that people and business have been calling about spring work and opening roads within the county. McLain says that it’s probably still a bit early. “I just don’t know if winter is over yet,” he noted, further explaining that there should be another storm coming in later in the week. “The longer we hold off, the easier it is on the equipment and the roads. The roads are kind of soft, so I’m trying to get them to lighten their load,” McLain said. BLM is changing rates on gravel for the roads, which was upped to $1/linear cubic yard. A lease agreement with Idaho Dept of Lands was approved for gravel at that rate.

Oil tanker trailers for the county were discussed, at 25K$ for one which had come out of an oil field and was offered by Nationwide alongside another model.

A purchase of $61,500 for Road and Bridge from Smith Chevrolet for a Silverado was authorized. The department is short on vehicles, so there is not an offsetting trade.

The RB crew went down to the Johnny’s Hole location and there appears to be a need for culvert repair. There are natural gas lines in the area, so they will need to deal with that in order to make repairs. The roads will need to be dug up, but Chairman Mathews noted that the roads in those areas were currently in “the best shape I’ve seen in a long time.” A 12 inch culvert needs to be put in. McLain will look into the cost difference to bore, rather than go from the road surface.

McLain reported on a number of roads in the county that are “falling apart” and in need of repair.

New hires started this week, and the department is currently at full staff.

Eric Hobson

Hobson reported that last week was a BLM refresher.

In terms of vehicles, everything is operational, just in need some possible rear-end rebuilding.

Hobson reported that House Bills 206,207,208 made it into Senate, and were on their second reading. The bills that relate to EMS funding were reported to be “doing well” and Hobson will keep the commission apprised of any issues that come out the the legislature related to EMS in the county.

TMobile is talking about Starlink on T-Mobile, which ATT and Verizon are potentially jumping on it as well. The ambulance phones are currently TMobile.

Rowdy Larkins

Larkins presented a change order for the Event Center to the commission. This one involves the fill for the site. The price is around $30K.

Larkins thinks there will likely be a change order regarding the electrical connections. He will ask for an additional quote for power to supply the fairgrounds down the road.

Materials for the cabinet work in the Event Center were discussed. The commissioners and staff commented on the various options for the finish on the cabinets.

Larkins raised the issue of yurts within the county. “It is currently a gray area in the building code,” he said. Because the structures don’t have bathrooms, and aren’t permanent structures in theory, they don’t easily fit into the code. There are people interested in using them for AirBnBs, which means they will need to be regulated by the county, and there are many features of them that don’t match with the dwelling ordinances. Some counties classify yurts as “accessory dwellings,” which have different requirements. The commissioners advised Rowdy to first see how other counties deal with the issue. It was noted that there were many counties in Utah that specifically cater to recreation tourism with them. Caribou has restrictions against, for instance, living in camp trailers for long periods of time, and so the yurt represents an active issue. There are a few yurts on Pebble, which are being used like cabins for private use. The concern is when the structures are rented out, as it will bring access issues into the discussion.

Jackie Barthlome

Grace Mayor Barthlome spoke to the county about its landfill fee resolution. She began by clarifying how the fees were allocated. She wanted to know why the fees were assigned to the landowners, rather than the trailer park managers. Under the resolution, the owners of the park are charged based on the potential lots, rather than the active users. If the fees were assigned to the people actually living in the trailers, the mayor thinks that it would be fairer to the landowners. “The landowners are going to pass it on to their tenants.”

Mayor Barthlome noted that Grace puts the agenda out on Facebook, which she advises the county is a good idea. She noted a number of lots throughout the county where the property owners are being charged for empty lots.

County Attorney Doug Wood asked whether the county knew what other jurisdictions do. “I can see the arguments from both sides,” he said. The problem of doing micro petitions for pro-rated fee assignment was raised.

“I can see an apartment building as one thing. But in a trailer park, those people are paying property taxes on their trailer, and they are allowed to use 5 tons at the landfill.”

Chairman Mathews suggested that the change would require a separate policy for apartments and trailer parks. “A lot of the trailer parks, the owner owns the trailer and rents them out.”

Jackie Barthlome asked “Do you treat an RV park different than a trailer park?”

There was no immediate word on how the county’s RV park operates with regard to the landfill fee.

Attorney Wood suggested that he would look into the issue further and report back.

The commissioners agreed that it was something that should be looked into and probably changed to shift the burden to the right people.

Chairman Mathews noted that there was a section in the ordinance that allowed for a reduction to $25 if there was nothing on the property, though the language may need to be modified to clarify that with regard to trailer parks.

Chairman Mathews noted, “Every lot that makes garbage needs to be paying something to use the landfill.”

Public Hearing—Hubbard

A public hearing was held on a conditional use permit for a shed within the county. Because he is a neighbor of the petitioner and received a certified letter, Mathews recused himself from the hearing. The construction of a CUP to make a storage shed for storing RVs passed. The hearing was closed.

Doug Wood

Attorney Wood recently had a jury trial on a DUI that ended on a hung jury. He later recieved a report about how one of the jurors may possibly have been a citizen of Franklin county, which turned out to be the case. This was fortunate, since the outcome of the case would have been a problem had it resulted in a verdict. It turns out that the juror believed that he was a Caribou resident based on a number of factors. This is an issue that arose in the Thatcher area.

Jill Stoor noted that the juror system in Idaho uses P.O. Boxes, and the individual has a PO Box in Grace in Caribou County. This is a very rare issue, and the individual expressed a clear unawareness of having made the error. Prosecutor Wood was convinced that the individual was honesty confused. The trial will need to be retried in any case, due to the hung jury.

Sheriff Mabey asked whether the county had a marine advisory committee. The county does not.

Funeral Director Brad Horsley has

an indigent case for cremation. There is a bill from November in the county for the service. In 2009, the indigent rate was upped to $1500. Doug Wood suggested passing a resolution to raise the county pay out.

A motion to pay the cremation costs for the indigent cremation for $2539 to Horsley was passed. These costs will be evaluated on a case by case basis going forward.

Angie Mendenhall from the Treasurers Office spoke to the commission about a property in Grace. Attorney Wood suggested that the legal description for the property needs to be redone in order to clarify the exact property boundaries. This is county property that will be sold in the form of an auction, with the starting bid as the appraisal price plus costs to make a “declared minimum bid.” The county can lower to price if there are no offers received.

Alana Burns—Friends of the Park Alan Burns of the Friends of the Park reported on progress toward the shade structures to the commissioners, and presented a funds request. “We have been working for the last 8 months to put shade covers in the park,” Burns said. They have a bid from the company that installed the red hot pool covers in lava. The bid was $45K, and covers everything. They are within the $10K zone of finishing the goal. “We’re getting to the point where action is actually taking place.” “We’re in the last lap of this race, and are wondering if we could get the support of the county commission. You guys donated $5000 to the park for the last project, and you’re on the top tier of the placard.” The city was going to contribute labor, but since it was included in the bid that city is determining some sort of in-kind contribution for the project. Burns noted the contributions of Advantage Plus and the Chadwick Foundation. “We’ve had your support before and we’d love it again if possible.”

Burns stated that “We’ve tried not to tap the community that much. We’ve really tried to focus on businesses. Car dealerships, industries, etc.”

A motion to contribute $3K to the Maverik Caribou Community Playground for shades, from out of PILT for Misc Donation fund was approved.

“We’re going to have a ribbon cutting when we’re all done,” Burns noted.

Helen Barker

Planned building projects in the Chesterfield area were discissed. The Chesterfield Historical Society will visit the location from the viewshed to determined whether it can be approved. They will provide a recommendation to the commissioners, along with PZ.

North Gem Life Skills Class Interview Winners

BY JODY REEVES

North Gem High School in conjunction with the Caribou County Extension Office have been offering a life skills class to students. The class is taught by Camille Yost who is assisted by Lisa Barfuss from the extension office. In the most recent unit of the class, students worked on building a resume and learning how to interview for a potential job. The unit finished with the students all participating in a mock interview with a panel of judges who then awarded first, second and third place in the interview.

Prior to the interview students first had to build their resumes, learn appropriate behavior for an interview and heard from several guest speakers on what they had to go through to get the careers that they currently have. The first speaker that I talked about with the students was Dr. Tawney Barfuss who is a local veterinarian. Tawney talked to the students about her road to becoming a veterinarian. That included her schooling going from undergraduate school to applying for vet school and then shadowing another experienced veterinarian. Dr. Barfuss gave the kids some understanding of what it takes to earn a degree in their desired field of study. Another one of their guest speakers was Kevin McLain from the county road and bridge department. Kevin talked to the students about persevering and made each student shake his hand while looking him in the eye. Ciara O'Brien, one of the students in the class exclaimed, “He said I had a firm handshake.” McLain went on to talk to the students about getting enough of an education that they could always have it fall back on if they needed it. He also cautioned them to not try to do so much all at once and risk burning themselves out. North Gem’s superintendent Mr. Miller was another guest speaker in the class. Mr. Miller spoke about how initially he looked at several different career options that included being a lawyer and working in the medical field. Mr. Miller eventually landed on education after doing some coding work and was asked to teach coding. He

helped the students realize that life's plans can change and to keep an open mind. Once the students began building their resumes they were taught that they needed to sell themselves. The resume section was a little more difficult for the young people since they have had very limited work experience. Nevertheless they were all able to build a respectable resume and prepare for the interview. Part of the interview preparation included more handshakes and eye contact. Mrs. Yost and Mrs. Barfuss challenged the students to approach several of the staff at the school and shake their hands while practicing introducing themselves. This led to some comedic moments with some confused staff members. In the end it did help the students become more confident going into the interview process.

contestants

The interview panel consisted of three local adults, Cam Williams, Nichole McLain, and Nate Iman. The panel interviewed each student one at a time asking a variety of questions. Students were asked what some of their strengths and weaknesses are, how to resolve conflict, how they handle multitasking as well as several other questions. The students all expressed different emotions going into the interview. Some were nervous while others like Alex Curtis simply stated, “I was calm”. Following the interview the judges collaborated and selected their placings. Taking the top spot was Ciara O’Brien followed by Nicolas Willis with Alex Curtis rounding out the top three. Overall the students did feel that the class had better prepared them for partaking in the interview process and will help them when they face that situation in real life. The job search portion is just one small unit in the life skills class as a whole. The extension office is eager to help in any of the local schools with similar classes. Lisa Barfuss stated, “We would love to go into any other schools. We’re wide open to anybody that would like to have us come in and help do anything.” These types of classes have a real benefit to our local youth and I for one hope to see them continue to grow in all of our schools.

Placers in the interview contest left to right; 3rd place Alex Curtis, 2nd Place Nicolas Willis, and 1st place Ciara O'Brien.

Interview

with interviewers Cam Williams and Nate Eiman as well as Lisa Barfuss from the Extension Office.

Soda Springs City Council Report

The Soda Springs City Council met for a regular meeting on March 5.

Project Updates

Engineer Alan Skinner discussed a number of projects which are ongoing within the city.

The Enders hotel situation

Several meetings ago, a proposal to potentially turn the Enders Hotel over to the Idaho Parks and Recreation Department to be converted into a state park was made. Since then, Councilmember Paul Gritton (who proposed the idea) has been the council’s point person on the project.

He related that “the Parks and Recreation people came and did a more thorough inspection [two weeks ago] Monday and a general tour to make sure they had a good feel of what the area was like. It was encouraging, with a lot of pos comments…I am just waiting to hear back from them as to their next step.”

Gritton further related that he has contacted cities with State Parks near their locations, and that the comments about the situations for those towns were positive. “I didn’t hear one negative thing,” Gritton said. “In Island Park they were very, very complimentary about what the park has done for their area.”

Council president Mitch Hart inquired whether the situation could be resolved during this legislative session.

Gritton stated that “I heard comments that lead me to believe it could move fairly quick. I was very impressed by their comments and the things they had to say.”

President Hart observed that “The question will be asked, ‘do we gift them the gift?’”

The question of exactly how the city would transfer ownership to the state were discussed, with some members of the public suggesting that they felt a clean donation was prudent. Gritton mentioned that “I’ve started a list of must-haves or must-dos if we do wind up with a city transferring ownership. One is that the city needs access to any infrastructure it needs. Another one is that the museum will remain in place and secured and avail to public/comm use.”

President Hart asked that the list be shared among council members.

As the future of the building comes into further focus, the issue of what to do with it in the meantime was also raised. In order to make the building suitable for transfer, some aesthetic and structural repairs were mentioned. “We went out and got a bid to do some work on the façade brick, and I would encourage us to move forward with that to accept that bid and fix the bricks.” 300-350 bricks were said to be in need of securing. It was also suggested that contractors should extend the membrane off the roof. The bidder is the same one (Amazing Masonry) which did the work on the geyser building. Roof repair maintenance and $5552 to extend the membrane were presented, along with brick replacement for $12,700. A motion to approve those repair bids was approved.

Councilmember Gritton noted that “with the future of the Enders uncertain, it is incumbent on us to keep doing this maintenance.”

Other Projects

USDA grant for a trail system on recently acquired city land. A grant to create a trail system on various city land has hit a snag due to federal grant policy undergoing revision. The grant is connected to a Hispanic Access fund, which covers projects that meet certain requirements that are potentially at odds with new and changing federal grant policies. In the meantime, the project is on hold. The grant was originally intended to be for land acquired from Nutrien. The matching part of the grant was potentially going to be attached to the Hispanic Access funds. The trails instead could be changed to the Bailey Creek area rather than the Nutrien area. According to Engineer Alan Skinner, this should be the only grant for city projects that will be affected by the current situation.

Main Street

Recently, the city decreased the amount that Main Street business are being billed for the water and sewer line project from last summer. That reduction was partly based on re-examining the way the costs were allocated, and partly as a result of funds from the county. Engineer Skinner stated: “ Where we’re at with that is that we’re waiting to hear back from the county, then the next step is talking with businesses about how they want to pay. We’re basically waiting for the grant to the county from GEM.” Skinner stated that the city has done what the county asked for so far.

Ledger Creek project

A project to create trails in the Ledge Creek area is still waiting on final agreement from Bayer Lawyers. Once the paperwork is completed, the city plans to hold a meeting with the county to determine the next steps.

Soda Creek

A project to use a pump in the city cemetery for watering the landscaping is moving forwad. After the new pump is installed, the cemetery district has money in the reserve and the power to tax in order to continue maintenance costs. The driver is that the cemetery is the largest user of drinking water within the system, according to the council, and this would allow them to access water rights for the needs of the facility.

Shade Cover

Progress on the Shade Cover at the City Park was reported. According to Alana Burns, the first part of the system should be put in in the next few weeks. Shade structures will go up on smallest swingset, pending the reception of pledges and grants. The committee would like to wrap the project up. They’d like to put in six trees in the front of the playground, as well as some tables. “We succeeded in our goal,” Burns noted.

“We want to ask [City Engineer Alan Skinner] what trees would be best. We don’t want shoots to become a problem. Originally we wanted to do some structures to cast shade, but we didn’t like the look and it isn’t cost effective. We don’t like to pester our community with requests for money.”

“Never underestimate the Friends

of the Park, and I say that with affection,” noted President Hart.

Hwy 30

ITD has provided a set of prints on sewer and water lines for the upcoming road project on Highway 30, which will be the most significant construction project of 2025, at least in effect and visibility. “We are beginning to start seeing the challenges we’ve got,” Skinner noted. “We’re going to start collecting cell and email of people with tax parcels on the route.”

There are approximately 60 or so property owners on Highway 30, as opposed to the 20 which had been involved on Main Street.

Formation Well Bond

Council President Mitch Hart raised the issue of the formation well bond. “There has been some question on when the bond would retire from paying back. We determined that we have one more year ahead of us. Somewhere around 1.2 mill. When we do budget, we should talk about renaming, maximizing use of this money. This might be used to pay “unfunded mandates.”

"In 2014, we wanted to self-fund the project. DEQ mandated that something would have to be done with Formation Spring. Because it was an open pool, the rules for how it could be used were changed. They drilled wells to turn it into a groundwater source. The bod was established to build a reserve in anticipation of executing that project. The city borrowed money from the power fund to the water fund, so in 2017 they started the project, and then determined how to pay back the fund for the project. The fund can be retired, re-established for near term projects. The fee would be renamed and then continue to be collected. The alternative is to raise water rates 25%."

Parental Leave Resolution 2025-1. The city is finalizing its Parental Leave policy, which was in need of updating. Dept heads were told to talk it over and decide. The city will match PTO for a total of 6 weeks. A form also explains that they can have FMLA as long as it is approved, and comp time must be used. Benefits have to be paid out of pocket if there isn’t Comp time.

City Attorney Tom Smith noted that there may be some issues of phrasing that need to be adjusted to avoid falling into any kind of trouble with current law.

DEPARTMENT HEADS

Dan Squires

Dan Squires raised the issue of the current schedule for water/sewer hookup fees. “I want to bring to your attention that the $1250 we charge for water hookup doesn’t even cover our parts any more,” he said. Council president Hart asked for an updated estimate on the real costs. Squires explained that $2500 would be closer to the actual hookup costs. He noted that Montpelier charges $5K, and Preston $7.5K each for water and sewer. Elsewhere in the state, some fees are up to $12K. “We’re not even breaking even at $1250,” Squires noted.

Councilmember Ryan Carpenter

City Information across Caribou

BANCROFT

Mayor LuCus H. Spencer

Debbie Swensen, City Clerk

City Council: Rick Hatch, Council President Eric Christensen Walt (Nate) Eiman Jessica Vawser

Departments: Fire Department, Taylor Askew Parks, Rick Hatch

Planning & Zoning, Eric Christensen Planning & Z, Rick Hatch 435-8814502

Sewer, Eric Christensen Streets, Utilities, Dogs: All Council Lighting of Teuscher Square, Clerk Swensen

Office Hours: Mon-Thurs 8:00-4:00 p.m.

Closed 12:30-1:00 p.m.

95 S. Main (Physical Address)

P.O. Box 39 (Mailing Address) Bancroft, ID 83217

Phone: (208) 648-7648

Website: www.cityofbancroft.com

GRACE Mayor Jackie Barthlome

City Council: Kathy Tillotson

Kimi Lowe Kyle Bingham Curtis Toone

Clerk Shelley Reeves Deputy clerk LoyRaye Phillips

Crew Riley Crookston, City Superintendent

Jake Wright, Waste Water Operations

asked “would it be appropriate to break it down by size?”

Squires stated that that would create a very cumbersome process. He also noted that hookup fees are made to add capacity to the system. The logic behind connection fees is that those who hook into the system are helping to expand the capacity and size of the system.

Councilmember Carpenter said, “we’re going to lean on you to come up with what’s fair and equitable. Talk to your suppliers about what tariffs are going to do.”

The issue will be on the agenda for the next meeting.

Squires stated that one daycare in town is closing, and that childcare resources in the city have been stretched. A daycare by Thirkill has had its CUP revoked. It can’t be a daycare again until they go through the process. “That makes things tough,” President Hart.

Cejay Golightly

Chief of Police Golightly noted that the department had saved money on a new K-9 officer through various means. Officer Steele will be the new handler for the dog. A kennel has been purchased, and the new dog will be live at the officer’s residence. The dog is continuing training before it will officially begin duty.

Golightly reported that overtime is up as a result of search warrants, court time, and two officers at trainings for drug impairment training. The SSPD Assisted in Officer Involved shooting investigations outside the county. The new dog is trained in fentanyl, which Golightly noted is an issue within Caribou County.

Justin Hansen

Hansen related that he had looked into a power pole on Hooper Ave that had been struck by a vehicle. Streets projects have involved working on repairs that can be handled indoors.

Recently purchased equipment scanning devices have already come in handy on a couple things, including identifying needed repairs for vehicles.

Hansen asked the council about any progress on the issue of where city employees could live under the hiring guidelines. A discussion about how far outside of town employees could live has been ongoing. The consensus seems to be at present that different departments have different needs as far as employees’ ability to be on call quickly, with some emergency service employees having much more critical proximity needs than others. Department heads were asked by Attorney Tom Smith to report on what they saw as their department’s needs in that regard. The issue will be addressed at the next meeting.

Paige Bynam

Paige Bynam spoke to the council about the road connected to the Bynam’s business, Point S Tire. An issue related to the curb and gutter and access on the property has been in discussion for a number of months. President Mitch Hart and Alan Skinner stated that they will physically go down to the location and see what needs to be done.

Shane Hamilton Matt Loertscher

City Office:

Telephone:(208) 425-3533 Telephone:(208) 425-9038 FAX:(208) 425-9028

E-mail: citygrace@icsofidaho.net Website: cityofgraceid.com

SODA SPRINGS

Mayor Austin Robinson

City Council: Mitch Hart, Council President Ryan Carpenter Paul Gritton Rod Worthington

Office: Andrea Haderlie, Clerk (208) 547-2600 ext.102 Celeste Billman, Utility Billing ext. 101

Chelsey Davids, Permits, PZ, City Attny office ext. 111

Justin Hansen, Public Works

Nikki Hansen, Recreation ext. 103 Shalynn Hennefer, Payroll ext. 100

Jennie Rasmussen, Animal Control (208) 547-7100

CeJay Golightly, SS Police (208) 547-3213

Alan Skinner, City Engineer/Building Inspector, ext. 107

Dan Squires, Public Works/Waste Water/Fire Chief

City Office: Hours: M-F 8 AM to 5 PM

Mailing Address: 9 West 2nd South Soda Springs, ID 83276

Telephone: (208) 547-2600

FAX: (208) 547-260

All County Basketball Honors

BY JODY REEVES

We at the Idaho Enterprise are continuing our tradition of naming our all county first and second team honors. In addition to naming a first and second team we have added a couple more honors to our list. For basketball we will be naming a sixth man of the year as well as an overall player of the year for both the boys and girls teams. The sixth man and overall player of the year will not be included on the first or second teams as those honors would stand on their own. We were fortunate enough to have several quality players in the county this year making some of these decisions very difficult ones to make. We also had some unusual circumstances arise for some of the teams and their players this season particularly when it came to the North Gem and Grace boys teams. After much debate we decided that the following factors would be considered in selecting this year’s teams: statistics, impact on the team, sportsmanship, consistency, and number of games played. We are aware that there are some great players that missed several games for a variety of reasons and we took all of that into consideration.

We will start things off by naming our overall player of the year for both the boys and the girls. For the

boys one player in particular stood out among the rest. Our player of the year was always capable of getting a basket when his team most needed it. He also finished his season playing at state scoring a very impressive seventy-five points over the three day tournament. Our boys all county player of the year goes to Cooper Thompson. Cooper is a junior at Soda Springs. Cooper is a well balanced player whose quickness allows him to create turnovers as well as get to the rim while also being able to hit shots from outside. Moving on to the girls overall player of the year this race was a little closer with a few girls capable of claiming the top spot. In the end our all county girls player of the year showed great leadership, hard work and proficiency. Our girls all county player of the year goes to Abby Goodin. Abby is a senior at Soda Springs High School. Abby showed real determination on the court and even on those nights when the game wasn’t going her way she continued to give it her all.

Next we will move on to our sixth man of the year award. In most cases when we talk about a sixth man it usually refers to a player that is good enough to be a starter but due to depth or strategy they are brought off the bench. Occasionally they will be awarded a starting spot but not often.

In our all county honors the sixth man award was a very tight race with several players in contention for both the boys and girls. It would have been easier to name several sixth men of the year but that isn’t how these honors work so without any further ado our boys sixth man of the year goes to Dakoda Billman. Dakoda is a senior at Soda Springs High School. Though Dakoda did earn the starting role on a few occasions his primary role came from coming off of the bench. Dakoda stepped in and played a huge role for the Cardinals under the basket both offensively and defensively. On the girls side our sixth man of the

year goes to Presleigh Steadman. Presleigh is a sophomore at Grace High School. Presleigh came off the bench for the Lady Grizzlies in a big way by scoring and handling the ball. Presleigh will likely take one of the starting roles for Grace next season with the loss of some seniors to graduation. A big congratulations to the four players listed above and to the rest of those that are listed on the teams below. Several of the players named will be back next season giving fans another opportunity to watch them play while giving themselves another shot at making next year’s list.

Boys All County Player Of The Year Girls All County Player Of The Year

Cooper Thompson Abby Goodin

Boys Sixth Man Of The Year

Girls Sixth Man Of The Year

Dakoda Billman Presleigh Steadman

First Team All County Boys First Team All County Girls

Gavin Hansen (Soda Springs) Gracie Moldenhauer (Soda Springs)

Konner McWilliams (Soda Springs) Cortnee Gronning (Soda Springs)

Derek Hill (Grace)

Braden Kimball (Grace)

Ryver Hayden (North Gem)

Rosie Harris (Soda Springs)

Kallie Stoddard (Grace)

Tessica Jorgensen (Grace)

Second Team All County Boys Second Team All County Girls

Kyen Kirby (Soda Springs)

Preston Ozburn (Soda Springs)

Carson Reeves (Grace)

Parker Yost (Grace)

Craig Yost (North Gem)

Wrestling All County Honors

BY JODY REEVES

We are trying something new here at the Idaho Enterprise by handing out some all county honors following each sports season. Wrestling is a little different than some of the other sports due to the athletes being split into different weight classes. Since they are split into classes and the fact that it is such a physical sport it is too difficult to compare wrestlers from different weight classes to each other. So what we have decided to do with the wrestling is name one female and one male all county wrestler of the year as well as name the top wrestler in the county from each weight class. We do understand that in several of the weight classes that there is only one wrestler in that weight from the county and therefore will win the all county honor for that weight by default but that should not diminish this honor. Anyone who has wrestled or even known a wrestler knows how much work has to go into just participating in a wrestling season. It is easily one of the most grueling sports any high school athlete can partake in.

The girls have fewer participants overall but still feature some real talent. Girls weight classes range from 100lbs to 235lbs, however locally we do not have girls in every weight class so we will just name the ones that we do have. We also decided to put a minimum number of matches of twenty as one of the stipulations to qualify for this list. This did eliminate some girls who suffered from early season ending injuries. So without any further ado here are your all county girls wrestlers from each weight class.

100 lbs. Brynlee Hemmert (Soda Springs)

107 lbs. Hayden Ball (Grace)

126 lbs. Bella Eddins (Grace)

132 lbs. Laryah Dilworth (Soda Springs)

145 lbs. Josie Newby (Grace)

152 lbs. Skyla Cloud (Grace)

185 lbs. Abbiegail Krupp (Soda Springs)

The boy wrestlers had a few more participants and a lot more head to head competition. Again we decided to put a minimum number of matches of twenty as one of the stipulations to qualify for this list. There were some very close calls made for this list with several of the weights having multiple wrestlers deserving of the honor. In the end this was what we came up with in each weight category for the boys.

106 lbs. Simon Krupp (Soda Springs)

120 lbs. Conner Lee (Soda Springs)

126 lbs. Cael Newby (Grace)

132 lbs. Carter Kimball (Grace)

138 lbs. Brett Hobbs (Grace)

144 lbs. Jack Eddins (Grace)

150 lbs. Lukky Welker (North Gem)

157 lbs. Zayden Garbett (Soda Springs)

165 lbs. Mack Jorgensen (Grace)

175 lbs. Carson Cook (Soda Springs)

190 lbs. Elijah Dilworth (Soda Springs)

215 lbs. Cole Garbett (Soda Springs)

So there you have it, our picks at each weight for our all county honors. Now to move on to our all county wrestlers of the year. For the girls it came down to two Lady Grizzlies with similar seasons. In the end we gave the nod to the senior Josie Newby. Josie is the daughter of James and

Misty Newby of Grace. Josie capped her season off with a district title and placing third at the state wrestling meet. On the boys side of things it came down to two Cardinals. Both boys ended the season with just four losses but only one finished with a state title. Our boys all county wres-

Shalyn Thompson (North Gem)

Karlie Christensen (Grace)

Kamryn Mansfield (Grace)

Ellie Wood (Soda Springs)

Madilyn Kempe (Soda Springs)

tler of the year is Cole Garbett. Cole is the son of Clay and Deena Garbett of Soda Springs. Cole finished his year with a district championship followed up by a state championship. Congratulations to all the wrestlers that made this year's list of all county honors.

All County Boys Basketball Player of the year Cooper Thompson takes a shot during a state tournament game.

All County Girls Basketball Player of the year Abby Goodin drives to the basket during the district tournament.

All County Boys Wrestler of the year Cole Garbett getting the pin in the state championship match.

All County Girls Wrestler of the year Josie Newby in one of her matches at the state championships