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.
5 Years ago, 2019
The Soda Springs city council and mayor were given n update on the third well drilled at Formation Springs in an effort to intercept the flowing spring water underground to avoid having to do more expensive methods to cover or treat the water chemically to avoid any potential contamination. City Director Alan Skinner said 450 gallons a minute of water was able to be obtained at 220 feet depth, which was the same amount as the first well. Skinner noted that the city needs about 1,200 to 1,500 gallons a minutes of water to cover demand, and will be looking at alternatives, including pumping two wells, and other more expensive alternatives such as covering the spring or treating the water.
Vaughan Smith Construction was awarded the bid to rehabilitate the Lover’s Delight Bridge over Soda Creek. Access is currently blocked to one residence, but the project was imminent.
Two hours before the Grace Concert in the Park was scheduled to being, a summer storm moved in and brought a deluge of hail and rain. The committee waited for the storm to pass through, but ultimately the concert had to be rescheduled. The make-up concert raised a total of $1,057 was raised for repairs and upgrades to the Legion Hut, which is most especially in need of a new heating and cooling system.
A survey conducted by Intermountain Gas found that 42 percent of homeowners who plan to dig this year for projects like landscaping, installing a fence or mailbox, or building a deck, pond, or patio will put themselves and communities at risk by not calling 811 to local underground utilities. Digging without being aware of such utilities can result in serious injuries, death, disruptions in service, and costly repairs.
10 Years ago, 2014
Senator Mike Crapo discussed some of the federal Farm Bill programs which were intended to help livestock producers recover from losses resulting from the reintroduction of wolves. There were estimated to be a total of 659 wolves in Idaho at the end of 2013, although it was understood that there were likely many which had not been counted. Sheep and cattle losses had been confirmed in many of the hundreds of calls throughout the year of wolves encroaching into livestock areas. The 2014 Farm Bill made the Livestock Indemnity Program and Livestock Forage Disaster Program permanent, and retroactive to 2011.
Jason Christensen of Soda Springs scored a double eagle on Hole #8, a 450-yard par 5 at Caribou Highlands Golf Course while playing with his family at a reunion. Double eagles are rarer than holes-in-one, and luckily the feat was witnessed by eight family members of unimpeachable character. The double eagle refers to a score three under par on any given hole. In Jason’s case, he scored a 2 on a 5 par hole. There were only four double eagles on the PGA tour in all of 2012, for context. The odds of such a feat were calculated at roughly one in a million.
Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter signed a proclamation recognizing August as National Immunization Awareness Month. “Vaccine are a proven way to help keep our children from getting sick. I want to commend the March of Dimes and other organizations across the state for bringing attention to this very important issue.” Idaho has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country, according to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, and there have already been 240 cases of whooping cough in 2014, double the number the previous year.
Mill Iron S Ranch will be hosting a Cattle Dog Trial at the rodeo arena in Lava Hot Springs. The trial will showcase working cattle dogs of all breeds maneuvering cattle through different obstacles. The handlers will work their dogs from horseback with either voice commands
or whistles.
Deseret Industries donation pods will be removed from the parking lot of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints building. The pods have been at the Bailey Creek Church parking lot for many years and have been a well-known, reliable location for item donations. In the future, the Soda Springs stake will hold quarterly DI drives during which the pods will again be available for people to drop off items.
Lt. Reggie Scheierman retired from the Soda Springs Police Department after 33 years of service to the citizens of Soda Springs. Lt. Scheierman was instrumental in writing grants for the Department of Transportation to get radar units for almost all the patrol units. He also worked part-time for many years as the Animal Control Officer. Reggie and his wife Renee will continue to live in Soda Springs for the time being. They are the parents of two sons, Tyler and Cody.
15 Years ago, 2009
The Highlander hoofbeats took third place at the Idaho State Riding Association’s state meet. The ISRA meet was held Aug. 11 in Rexburg. Rita McEwen took 1st place in the open pleasure. The team includes: Rita McEwen, Marie Miller, Angie Bower, Julie Hook, Betty Maxwell, Dawn Perkins, Lori Kingston, Kystal Sechser, Janis Ozburn, and Colleen Price.
Nine teams participated in the annual Senior Center Golf Scramble. No one went home with the “Hole in One” car, furnished by Todd Hunzeker Chevrolet and Ford.
Larren and Judy Nelson were recognized by the Chesterfield Foundation Board with a special plaque for their five summers of work at the Chesterfield Town Site. Larren spent a lot of time working to restore the Holbrook Barlow Brick Store when he wasn’t supervising the grounds. This was truly a labor of love, as Larren really enjoys working with wood. His restoration of the bean counter there is amazing. Judy put life into the log store, or as Craig Nickish calls it, “Judy’s Emporium.” She turned it into a store that would have been there in 1915 where old fashioned sodas are available, candies that would have been there in that period and things you just can’t seem to find anywhere else. Judy has also been the driving force behind the summer concert series in Chesterfield, and also the Chesterfield Historic Cookbook. The Nelsons will be missed in the coming seasons.
Eighteen head of cattle may have died from high levels of selenium at an old phosphate mine site at Lanes Creek, northeast of Soda Springs. Although the investigation is preliminary and ongoing, the aster flower is suspected as the plant eaten by the cattle that is most likely to have high selenium levels, resulting the in their deaths, according to sources.
The staff at Spring Creek Manor hosted a special birthday party for six residents. Originally celebrated once a yar for all residents’ birthdays, the plan now is to hold a party each month when there are birthdays.
25 Years ago, 1999
Dave Tingey of Grace received word in July at an annual meeting and dinner held in Mud Lake that he was to receive the Poet of the Year Award from the Christian Cowboy Poets and Musicians Association. Tingey performs at approximately 50 events each year where he entertains with his poetry.
Julie Reno of Grace has been hired by the Grace School District as the new hot lunch supervisor at the high school. She has accepter the position which was vacated by Lenae Manhart, who left to take a teaching position in the elementary school. Julie has previously been employed at Turner Café, Maxis, and Spring Creek Manor as a cook and head of the kitchen.
Deirdre Spencer, 17, Afton, Wyoming, will reign as queen of the 23rd Annual Grays Lake Rodeo. Deirdre is the daughter of Paul and Vera Spencer. She says she has been riding all her life and lives in a family where rodeo is a family activity. Her grandfather clowned for rodeos, her father roped and rode saddle broncs, and her mother barrel raced. She is presently working on learning to team rope.
A stretch of the Bear Rover running through Black Canyon near Grace has been posted with a 45 mph speed sign. To whom or what it applies is unknown, except to the prankster who took the time and energy to place it in the river.
Mary Ann Johnson recently completed 30 weeks of student teaching at the Burgoyne School of Music. Supervised by Kathleen Campbell, she will be accepting beginning violin students this fall. Mary Ann is a student of the violin and viola. She has performed fiddle as well as classical selections at several occasions this summer. Also, last <ay she was awarded the Patricia Sorensen Memorial Award, which means that she achieved more points than any other student during the school year.
Shirley Murdock won $1,199 at the Lava Lions Bingo recently, and was presented a check by Lions Chip Buss and Fred Hinz. Bingo is played three times weekly at the Blue Moon in Lava Hot Springs.
40 Years ago, 1984
State revenues are running slightly ahead of expectations in the beginning of the 1984-1985 fiscal year, but Governor John Evans cautions against over optimism. Because of an anticipated shortfall in revenues on which the 1984 Legislature based its appropriations, Evans has ordered a 3 percent holdback in spending for the current fiscal year. If revenue continues to exceed expectations, the holdback could be reduced or cancelled later. But Evans, speaking at a Rotary Club of Boise meeting, urged caution in light of “current concerns regarding real interest rates and their impact on Idaho’s economy...The tight money policy of the Federal Reserve Board and high interest rates, aggravated by the massive and uncontrolled federal deficit, have resulted in a crisis situation for Idaho farmers.”
Grace and North Gem FFA Chapter members were big winners at this year’s Caribou County Fair. Blair Mickelson, Shawn Del Mickelson, Shawn Bowles, Phillip Christensen, Don Argyle, Blair Mathews, Eric Nostrum, Karlene Stevens, Troy Peterson, Dub Hatch, Derek Moser, Shauna McLain all earned multiple blue ribbons. Halters were given by the Caribou Holstein Friesian Association to 1981 Blair Mickelson, 1982 John Tingey, 1983 Phillip Christensen, 1984 Shawn
Del Mickelson.
Quick action by local EMT President Ric Anderson and an alert Life Flight crew helped reduce serious injuries and probably saved the life of at least one person in a rollover near Raft River over the weekend. Anderson said he happened on to the scene immediately after the accident. By coincidence, a Life Flight helicopter from Pocatello was enroute to Burley to make a non-critical transfer when they saw the accident and landed. An Idaho State Police officer also arrived at the accident at the same time. Anderson said there was one fatality and the other two persons were in critical condition. The Burley ambulance was dispatched, and he assisted the Life Flight paramedic team in stabilizing the victims prior to transporting to the hospital.
Relatives from Salt Lake City McCammon, and other places met to congratulate Nellie V. Johnson on her 85th birthday which was Aug 9. Johnson was born in 1899 in Smithfield, Utah. Nellie is known for her long years as a news gatherer. It was symbolic that she scooped the whole town when World War I ended, when as a telephone operator she received the news of the Armistice first. She rang all the phones at once and spread the news after midnight. Getting the news and passing it on is one of her life’s ambitions. She has also served in every public service organization found in Grace. From the Legion Auxiliary to the Grace Literary Club, most offices in her church, and almost anything else you can think of.
Gary Gier and sons Paul and Mark returned home from an independent camping expedition through Southern Mexico to the southern end of the Yucatan Penninsula. The three men left home June 18 with their main intent to collect insects and photograph them. Highlights included exploring the ancient Mayan ruins in Mexico and the caves and temples off the beaten track in the jungles. The went to the Caribbean coast and swam offshore on a coral reef, saw a lot of wildlife and met many nice people in the outlying area who were very patient with their poor Spanish. They brought home 22 rolls of film and a lot of excellent specimens to add to Gary’s collection of insects, probably the most successful trip yet in that regard.
55 Years ago, 1969
The Grace Red Devils head in the 1969 gridiron season next week. Coaches Nelson and Moffitt will lead them into their first game at Grace against American Falls. Some veterans back from last year’s team are: Clause Peterson, Jeff Hill, John Anderson, and Ed Taylor. New members on the team include Brock Hurt, Bruce Campbell, Kip Panter, and Jim Hubbard.
Not all of Idaho’s big game animals are bagged by hunters with guns. A fine animal was taken by a longbow this last year. Archer Ray Torrey bagged a goat in the general archery hunt unit 30. According to the Idaho Fish and Game Department, there are three game management units open this year for general archery hunts for mountain goat. In addition to getting the goat, Torrey also bagged an elk and moose with his longbow.
The second all-Idaho Marine Platoon left Boise for training at Sand Diego, California training base Saturday. Among the 76 recruits, all residents of Idaho, were the following from Soda Springs: Thayne Gentry, Bob Hemmert, and Rob Crawford. The recruits arrives in Boise early Thursday morning to prepare for a parade and Enlistment Ceremony.
The appointment of J. Wayne Burkhardt as district range manager for the Idaho Dept. of Public Lands was announced recently by Lou Benedick, area administrator. Benedick said Burkhardt will supervise the inventory and classification of state lands within the Eastern Idaho area. He will also be responsible for the over-all range resource management and work directly with the state land grazing lessees to provide technical range knowledge and instruction in management planning.
Sgt. Joel W. Bowen left for Thailand where he will be stationed for a year at a U.S. Air Force base. Sgt. Bowen enlisted in the Air Force Reserve in October, 1966, and was called to active duty in January, 1967.
