Community Notes

Bond Election Information Meetings

Soda Springs School District will hold a Bond informational meeting on Thursday, October 10 at 7:00 pm at the high school auditorium.  Another meeting is planned for the 24th of October as well.  Anyone who is not able to attend in person but has questions about the bond or would like to hear the discussion can do so on the Soda Springs High School Youtube channel at youtube.com/channel/UCtQrZY5bLkg7MG6rNfCzo2A, or searching for Soda Springs High School in the Youtube search bar.  The $55 million dollar bond would support the construction of a new high school building for the Soda Springs School district, as well as renovations to the Elementary School that would allow the 5th grade classes to return to the school.  They are currently placed in Tigert Middle School.  A tax calculator for the bond amount, as well as proposed floor plans and other information about the bond can be found at sodaschoolsbond.org.

Who Couldn’t Use a Few Hints?

A class will be taught by Dixie Valentine, a FamilySearch Consultant with many years of experience.  Dixie asked, “Do you know what to do when you come across Record Hints?”  Dixie will explain using her many years of experience and share her ideas. Sunday, October 13, 2024 from 3:00-4:00 pm.  All are invited to the Soda Springs FamilySearch Center located on the northwest corner of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints building at 290 South 3rdWest. It’s interesting and it’s fun to learn new ideas to find our long-lost family members!  For more information, contact Brenda Kunz, FamilySearch Center Soda Springs, ID 208-221-8863.

City Releases limited edition sticker

At the Randy’L Teton presentation, a limited run sticker reproduction of the botting label used on “Idanha” Soda water was handed out to guests.  While there are most likely some of the stickers left, the majority of them are now in the hands of a lucky few.  The stickers were originally pasted to the bottles of soda water botted in Soda Springs by the Natural Mineral Water Company, beginning in 1887.  The water was awarded a ribbon at the World’s Fair in Chicago in 1893, which is the same year that Pabst won its Blue Ribbon.  It is also the year that AC electric outdoor lighting was unveiled, and the infamous American serial killer H.H. Holmes built his “murder hotel” to prey on visitors of the fair, a juxtaposition famously captured in Erick Larson’s award -winning 2003 book “The Devil in The White City.”  The book missed a chance to include a whole chapter on the water, especially as it foregrounds the concern Chicago’s town elders had about the potential for “bad” water to epidemics of disease as had swept through Chicago just a few years prior.  Perhaps Larson can be forgiven, as the event was clearly a pretty busy affair.     

New Maverik Open Tuesday

Due to press time, it is not known whether there were lines of people at the new Maverik station in Soda Springs when it officially opened at 6:00 a.m. Tuesday morning.  The pumps have been on for several days, but the certificate of occupancy in place now means that the full travel center’s doors are open to the public.  No definite plans for the other Maverik, just down the road to the west, have been finalized.  The new facility is larger and features more up to date accommodations and services, and at least for now, one more option for fueling in town.  

City Hall newly carpeted

The Soda Springs City Hall building was recarpeted last week, leading to some disruption in the building as essential appliances were temporarily relocated, and very heavy cases were moved multiple times.  One of the cases will now be remaining in the main public chamber as a result.  

Grace updates old code

One of the ongoing projects of the Grace City Council is updating and in many cases eliminating city code and ordinances which are no longer needed in their original form.  The ordinance which provides for those in violation of certain city violations to be detained in the city jail, for instance, is probably outdated due to the fact that the former city jail now serves as the dog pound.  A joke about spending the night in the doghouse is a short fetch for anyone.

Judas Priest visits Idaho Falls 

Several members of the local community were spotted at the recent Priest concert in Idaho Falls, which was awesome.  That’s mostly the whole story—I told my daughter I’d try to work it into the paper somewhere.  If some connecting tissue is needed, here it is: in addition to being very careful with his vocal apparatus over his seven decades on earth, lead singer Rob Halford and the other septuagenarian members of the band take great care to stretch before concerts and maintain a consistent exercise routine of jumping around and sometimes riding motorcycles on stage.  Perhaps it’s in honor of Fall prevention month for senior citizens—who can say?