Looking Back at Pages from the Past
The following stories are summarized from past issues of the Caribou County Sun over the last fifty plus years. The Enterprise thanks Mark Steele for permission to use the contents, and the Grace Public Library for access to the archives.
2019
Members of the Idaho City Clerks, Treasurers and finance Officers Association elected Bancroft City Clerk-Treasurer Debbie Swensen and Grace Clerk-Treasurer Shelley Reeves as s Directors for District 5 for 2019-2012 at the ICCTFOA Institute in Nampa. The association was formed to increase the professionalism of its members, improve city administration, advance the fullest measure of responsibility in local government, and to cooperate with federal, state, and local agencies, the Association of Idaho Cities, Idaho universities, and other organizations to upgrade the efficiency of city government.
The Homecoming game for Soda Springs went into overtime, where Malad ultimately ended up on top 18-12 after an extremely close and hard fought game. The Lady Cards played a hectic schedule during the same week, beating Marsh Valley in three sets, and West Side in four.
2014
Teresa Watkins retired from the Soda Springs Police Department on Sept. 8, after working 23 years. During her career she worked for Chief Blynn Wilcox and Chief Joe Rice. Teresa was very proud of the police department and enjoyed working public relations. She assisted Sheriff Ric Anderson when he worked for the police department in organizing several Safety Fairs at the city park. Teresa certified to be a child safety seat technician for many years before becoming a certified instructor. She spent five years writing grants for the Idaho Department of Transportation. These grants enabled funds for safety, drug and alcohol awareness programs in all the schools. She worked with the railroad on Operation Lifesaver, and put together the Prescription Take Back Program, which is part of a nationwide program for getting old and unwanted prescriptions and over the counter medicine out of homes and safely destroyed. She looks forward to spending time with her husband Conrad, their kids, and grandchildren as they head into the next chapter of their life.
2009
Idaho Fish and Game personnel are nursing a pelican and hopefully it can be returned to the wild after someone shot the bird, which was reported by residents in the Valley View Subdivision north of the Alexander Reservoir. Nathan Stohosky, IDFG conservation officer from Grace, said the injured pelican was in the area close to a canal that flows through the lower part of the subdivision. “There was a bullet hole through the left wind and into the upper back,” he said. The pelican could not fly, but it took Stohosky a couple of hundred yards in a foot race to capture the bird.
Enrollment in Caribou County school district is mostly down, with the exception of the North Gem School District in Bancroft. North Gem has seen a jump of 10 students this year in enrollment, from 50 to 60. Overall numbers for K-12 are also up to 201 from last year’s 183. Soda Springs has a drop at their high school from 254 to 237. But they have a very slight increase of two students overall at 830 this year compared to 828 last year. The Grace School District had 127 in the high school in 2008 and that dropped nine 10 115 this year. Their total enrollment K-12 also was down from 448 to 425 at the beginning of the school year.
The Idaho Library Association Book Award Committee has chosen its selections for the 2008 Book of the Year Award. Honorable Mention was awarded to “The Enders Hotel: A Memoir” by Brandon Schrand and published by the University of Nebraska Press.
2004
Fourth grade Hooper Hawks from Hooper Elementary got a aerobatics demonstration last week when pilot Greg Poe flew his custom built aircraft into the Soda Springs Tigert airport on Friday. Poe was sponsored by the Hooper Hawks and Monsanto Fund, who helped with a grant through the Soda Springs Education Foundation. Not only did Poe do aerobatics in his special aircraft with a nearly 400 horse-power engine, but he also presented an assembly, where he talked about character and succeeding, and helped the students catch their imagination through success and various role models. Poe’s life took a major turn following the drug-related death of his son Ryan. He now visits schools and youth groups discussing the incredible opportunities aviation has afforded him and telling his son’s story as a reminder to young people about the importance of making the right choices.
A new ally in the battle against hunger and malnutrition is the Soda Springs Baptist Church, which has opened a food closet, available to any who might need it. Items such as beans, rice, cereal, and various canned foods are available. Pastor Chris Zeller said, “We know that there are people without enough to eat for themselves and their children. We just decided as a church that we had to help. Our prayer is that people will take advantage of this and discover through this service the unconditional love of Jesus.”
It was reported that the figures for 2002 had been officially verified, and found the following vital statistics: 99 live births to people in Caribou County for a birth rate of 13.5, slightly lower than the national and state rates. Of the births, 39 were males and 60 were females. Fewer mothers than the state average were under 18. The most common names given to newborn girls were: Madison, Emily, Emma, Hannah, Abigail, Hailey, Alexis, Samantha, and Taylor. The most common boy names were: Jacob, Ethan, Tyler, Austin, Andrew, Joshua, Logan, and Dylan. Some of the unique spellings noted were Aeryka, Berthaalicia, Bicardi, Fayble, Anaximander, D’heaven, D-o, Diesel, Jedi, Jitter, Pyro, and Zephlyn. There were 73 deaths, a rate of 10, compared with a state rate of 7.4. Heart disease claimed 18 lives, and cancer claimed 9. 5 people were killed in accidents. Influenza and pneumonia claimed 8 lives. The rate of suicide was 13.7, which was slightly below the state rate of 15.1.
Tammy Geddes of Soda Springs was appointed to the Governor’s Coordinating Council for Families and Children by Governor Dirk Kempthorne.
1999
Caribou County Road and Bridge crews are busy doing site preparation for the new Caribou County/BLM Fire Station on the east end of Soda Springs. The county will provide the ground, the prep work, and run utilities, while the BLM will construct the building in the cooperative effort, BLM fire crews will live in the quarters at the new building during summer fire months. It will also have a kitchen, offices, training room, and garages from engines from both agencies. Bids for the construction work are to open shortly, with construction to begin this fall and completion by late spring if all goes well.
BreAnna Southwick, daughter of John and Stace Heinzleman, and Jarrett Gentry, son of Chad an Tami Gentry, participated in the Idaho Junior Rodeo Association this past season. BreAnna participated in three different events—pole bending, barrels, and goat ribbon pull, which she placed 3rd overall and was awarded with a belt buckle. She also qualified to compete in the Western States Finals which took place in Utah. She took fourth in her event. Jarrett competed in the pole bending, goat ribbon pole, and sheep riding, which he placed 2nd overall and was awarded with a belt buckle. He also qualified to compete in the Western State Finals in Utah. He placed 2nd overall and was awarded with a new rodeo coat and a check for $42.50.
The family of Verl Leavitt surprised him on Saturday with an early birthday party. They all enjoyed a barbecue with potluck dinners at the Sam Humphreys home in Soda Springs. Those in attendance included Verlene and Sam Humphreys, Howie and Tisha Humphreys and sons, Dan and Diana Leavitt, Verl, and Rita Leavitt from the Soda Springs area.
1994
Persons suffering from food allergies can now get potentially lifesaving information just by reading the newly standardized, more detailed labels on food cans, boxes, and jars. Before the new federal food labeling law went into effect this year, persons with allergies had difficulty selecting sage processed foods because food labels contained only sketchy details about ingredients. The labelling of proteins has been particularly troublesome to people allergic to milk, soy, or other protein sources. Terms like “hydrolyzed protein” will be replaced by more specific labels identifying the exact origin of the proteins in question. The labeling is required by the federal Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990 and will apply to 90 percent of manufactured food.
Attorney General Larry EchoHawk has announced a six-month undercover investigation of fraudulent telemarketers. “Telemarketing fraud continues to be the number one area of consumer loss in Idaho. Idaho residents and businesses lose millions of dollars to these con artists,” EchoHawk said. The undercover operation involves identifying phone numbers of victims of scam callers, and routing the calls to the AG’s office so that they can be recorded and used as evidence in investigations into the perpetrators. One of the rising types of fraud involved callers posing as representatives of companies whose purpose was to recover funds already deceitfully obtained by other scammers. Two lawsuits have been filed by EchoHawk’s office against two Las Vegas companies accused of such practices.
K-9 unit handlers from Southeast Idaho took advantage of training offered recently by INEL Security in deployment and use of K-9s in and around helicopters. Jon Bunderson, Soda Springs Police Dept. K-9 officer, and his Belgian Malonois, Blitz, took part in training that involved working the dogs on deployment in and around helicopters, and handler safety. “We had preflight training and got the dogs used to the rotor wash from the Bell 412 helicopter used for security at the INEL site,” Bunderson said. “Two handlers and their dogs would take off, land, deploy, and apprehend the suspect,” he said about the training that the site. K-9 officer said Blitz, a two-year old dog bred for law enforcement work, did excellent.
1984
The three U.S. Postmasters in Caribou County, along with law enforcement officers, were given a sneak-preview last week of the new stamp being issued by the Postal Service in conjunction with Crime Prevention Month, which starts Oct. 1. The postmasters said the unique 20-cent Crime Prevention Stamp that features a portrait of McGruff the Crime Dog in his familiar trench coat, will be on sale this Wednesday. The Postmasters—Carl Hess in Soda Springs, Monte Blanchard in Grace, and Richard Platts in Bancroft—all said they thought the stamp woluld be a great collector’s item and were glad to see the emphasis on crime prevention. Sheriff Richard Weaver and deputy Geary Bybee, crime prevention officer, along with Glen Armstrong of the Soda Spring PD, were on hand to view the first McGruff stamps. October is National Stamp Collecting month.
The Post Office in Soda Springs also took on a new look with an oil sketching of the Pony Express changing horses. According to Carl Hess, the painting measures three feet by six feet on the north wall of the post office lobby, and was an idea he had for the Postal Service’s lobby beautification efforts. The artist, Neva Harrison, completed the painting in about 25 hours from a pencil sketch she had drafted.
A special voters pamphlet was sent out to all residences in Caribou County by the Secretary of State’s Office containing information about the initiative to exempt food from sales tax. Two constitutional amendments are also explained in the pamphlet. One amendment would allow counties to be divided in forming legislative districts, rather than requiring legislative districts to include entire counties. The other amendment gives authority to the state legislature to amend or reject the state water plan.
Drivers renewing their licenses in Caribou County will be greeted with an instant issue driver’s license, according to Caribou County Sheriff Richard Weaver. Through the Dept of Transportation, a new Polaroid camera is the heart of the system. Drivers renewing licenses will be able to walk out with license in hand, instead of having to wait three months with a temporary license while it was being processed in Boise. Drivers who renew will have their addresses, physical description, and other data typed on a special card, get an eye screening, gave a picture taken, and then will receive their permanent three-year license.
1969
Mrs. Hilda Trackwell, Lockwood advertising manager, is staging an oddest-looking potato contest this fall for kids under 18 in the United States and Canada. The top prize for the winning odd-looking potato is a $50 U.S. Savings Bond.
The school lunch menu for this week for Soda Springs—Monday: Chinese noodle dish, peaches, hot bread biscuits, butter and milk. Tuesday: tuna pot pie, cheese wedge, sliced tomatoes, fruit cup, bread, butter and milk. Wednesday: chili with crackers, celery and carrot sticks, cinnamon, rolls, apricots and milk. Thursday: meat loaf, macaroni with tomatoes, carrots and celery sticks, applesauce, bread, butter and milk. Friday: roast beef with brown gravy over whipped potatoes, green buttered beans, caramel raisin pudding, bread, butter and milk.
Mr. and Mrs. Leo Christensen have received a copy of the following citation for a Bronze Star regarding Leland Hawker, a 1963 graduate of Grace High School: Republic of Vietnam—For heroism in connection with military operations against an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam. Corporal Leland Hawker distinguished himself while serving as a team leader while on a sweep mission northwest of Kontum City. Company C made contact with an estimated company-size enemy force. Without hesitation, Corporal Hawker moved to the forward element receiving fire and low crawled to within several meters of an enemy emplacement. Momentarily pinned down by automatic weapons fire, Corporal Hawker directed his men to fire on the position. After silencing the enemy he moved across the open area to help his wounded comrades to safety. Corporal Hawker’s exceptional courage, determination, and exemplary devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the miliary service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.
