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
In 1941 the Presbyterian Women of Soda Springs had their first bazaar and turkey dinner. After this first one, which was held in December, it has been held the first Saturday in November every year since then, 78 years. This year is no exception. The Presbyterian Women are hard at work, once again, preparing for another bazaar and dinner. They are constructing crafts and planning for the dinner. There will be the usual menu: turkey with all the trimmings. Also available and offered for sale will be baked goods and candy, gifts and a silent auction. The traditional raffle with consist of two items, a chocolate basket and a decorated, lighted Christmas tree. The tree would be suitable for an apartment or for somebody who just doesn’t want to bother putting up and taking down a larger tree. The chocolate basket consists of an eclectic selection of all things chocolate. The only thing the items have in common is that they are all chocolate related.
Rylie Watkins’ Junior Girl Scouts Bronze Award recently raised money for pet treats for the Caribou County Animal Control, with Kelly Rice of the Soda Springs Animal Control accepting the donated treats. A total of $62 was raised. Among those present were Cherish Watkins, Rylie Watkins, and Naquel Watkins.
Izzy Shelton of Soda Springs earned first place medals at the USATF State Track meet. She qualified for an competed in the national championship in over the summer, competing in shot put, discuss, and javelin as a representative of the Soda Flyers Track Club.
Mayor Barthlome explained the Mayor’s Walking Challenge she is participating in during the month of October. Walk with the Mayor is a challenge to walk 10,000 steps a day, which is about five miles. If she finishes the challenge, she will receive a $1,000 grant. The mayor challenged the city council members to participate in the challenge with her.
The fifth grade science classes at Tigert Middle School contributed a write up on a recent field day at Kelly Park. They had stations and learned about soil, noxious weeds, erosion, fishing and casting, plants, roots, and tools used by soil conservationists for measurement and elevation, and animal hides too. “The Forest Service taught us about the tools they use: Trees, animals in the Caribou forests, pinecones, signs for trails. Some pinecones need fire to release seeds. We played ‘tag’ that taught us about soil, bugs,
and roots.”
2014
The Soda Springs Library recently started a once a month Lego Club, which will run on Friday morning. The club is targeted toward interested kids ages roughly 8 to 12, but will turn away others who are interested. There is room in each session for 16
participants.
The Soda Springs Rotary Club met for their regular luncheon meetings in September with club President Alan Skinner presiding. District Governor Rick Phillips of Pocatello was a recent guest. He conducted a discussion on projects of the Rotary International and spoke of the polio project, stating that polio would be eradicated world wide. He spoke also of what other clubs were doing and especially encouraged special service projects. Members visited and enjoyed lunch.
Aaron Johnson, acting state executive director for the USDA Farm Service Agency in Idaho, announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has designated eight counties in Idaho as primary natural disaster areas due to losses and damages caused by excessive rain, flash flooding, and hail that occurred from July 25 through Sept 1. Those counties are Bingham, Bonneville, Clark, Minidoka, Blaine, Cassia, Jefferson, and Power. Farmers and ranchers in the following counties also qualified for assistance due to contiguity: Bannock, Camas, Custer, Fremont, Lemhi, Madison, Teton, Butte, Caribou, Elmore, Jerome, Lincoln, Oneida, and Twin Falls. Farmers in eligible counties have eight months from the date of the declaration to apply for loans to help cover part of their actual losses.
Seed Survivor from Agrium visited the second, third, and fourth grade students from Thirkill Elementary School last week. The Seed Survivor is a curriculum based interactive program for young students and is a free service for schools and groups. It has virtual reality games, a seed planting station, talking walls and more—all designed to teach youth about growing healthy plants and the importance of agriculture.
After 30 years of practicing dentistry in the Soda Springs community, Dr. Gary Lemarr is pleased to announce his retirement. He has long enjoyed serving the community and would like to thank all those who have supported his practice. Advanced Dental Center of Soda Springs would like to welcome Dr. Matt Kunz and Dr. Brett Naylor. Dr. Kunz was raised in Blackfoot, and graduated from Creighton School of Dentistry. He and his family are thrilled to be back in Southeast Idaho after practicing in Dodge City, Kansas. Dr. Naylor is excited to return to Soda Springs. He enjoyed much success working with Dr. Mark Harris.
As of Monday at 2:30 p.m., rain since Friday evening has now totaled 2.23 inches in Soda Springs. For the month of September, Soda Springs has received 3.17 inches (the average is 1.19). 5.51 inches were received in August. For the water year, the total so far is 19.91 inches, while the year average is 15.93.
2009
West Side was at Soda Springs last Wednesday. The Lady Cardinals won in three sets, 25-20, 25-18, 25-18. Madie Kimball and Alana Finlayson led the team with seven kills apiece, followed by Kayla McMuray with six kills. Paige Anderson led the team with seven blocks during the match. Kimball added five blocks while Breanna Yamauchi added four blocks.
Grace High School students voted for Homecoming royalty and winners were announced at an assembly on Thursday. They are: attendants Brace Jorgensen, Michelle Burton, Taylor Peck, Lacey Ackerman, Samantha Mathews, Dan Hubbard, Taylor Campbell, Brandon Spencer, King Josh Nelson, and Queen Nicole Mathews.
At the monthly Caribou Memorial Hospital Foundation Board meeting, the board saw the work being done by board members Mary Obray and Dawn Corbett, on Christmas trees. The nonprofit foundation wants to offer decorated trees to the public, as a tax-deductible fundraiser later this month. There are two fully decorated 10 foot trees and several smaller trees, being decorated in the space under the clinics.
Caribou Memorial Hospital participated again this year in the Hospital Cooperative’s breast cancer promotion called Brake-for-Breakfast. The annual educational event is held to increase awareness of breast cancer and the value of having regular mammograms. CMH has Portneuf Medical Center’s mammo mobile come once a month, to make it convenient for Caribou County residents to obtain mammography, said CEO John Hoopes. People simply drive through CMH’s main entrance and a member of the CMH Auxiliary handed them a bag, including a free, healthy breakfast and a flyer containing breast cancer facts. The facts were obtained from the American Cancer Society, whose information in generally considered up-to-date and cost effective.
A brush fire on Wells Lane on the Bailey Creek Road threatened a home Monday afternoon. Caribou County deputies and Soda Springs Police officers rolled immediately and both county and city fire departments responded quickly, putting the grass and sagebrush fire out quickly before strong winds could spread it further. The fire may have started from a small debris burn a day or two earlier by a resident.
Snow and ice were the result of the first cold spell of the fall over the week. With lows in the 20s, the warm fall changed dramatically, but temps are expected to increase through the week, but not to the unseasonal highs of the previous 80s.
1999
The Soda Springs Chamber of Commerce is planning a city council candidates’ forum on Thursday at the Enders Café. The three city council candidates will be invited to attend and discuss issues with the chamber members. Those candidates for the two council seats up for election in November are incumbents Bart Conlin, Mitch Hart, and Tony Varilone.
The Down to Earth Garden Club has a major job left to do this fall. The garden club has decided to make a “Memorial Garden” at the Caribou Memorial Living Center entrance to the hospital. Earl Hamp Construction donated his equipment and time to pull out old shrubs, dig up the grass, etc, and get the ground ready for the ladies to prepare it for the garden. This week the garden club will be tilling up the garden spot, spreading new top soil and planting bulbs for spring. The club will be planting roses, trees, and other plants along with adding benches, arches, large rocks, birdhouses, bord baths, and other fun items.
The Soda Springs High School girls swim team participated in the Pocatello Invitational that was held at Idaho State University Reed Gym. Schools participating included Blackfoot, Burley, Century, Gooding, Highland, Jerome, Madison, Pocatello, Rigby, Shelley, Sugar-Salem, Twin Falls, Wendell, and Soda Springs. A total of 109 swimmers competed in 258 individual and team events. The Soda Springs High team placed ahead of Burley, Madison, Shelley, and Gooding high schools.
The Idaho Heritage Trust has been awarded the National Honor Award from the National Trust. IHT’s purpose is to preserve the state’s historic buildings, artifacts and archeological sites. They have given over $1 million in Idaho grants, including $125,000 to preserve the townsite of Chesterfield, and grants for the Octagon Springs and Conda bus.
Sponsored by Solutia, Teton School of Science instructors from Kelly, WY invaded Hooper Elementary, bringing with them a wealth of science knowledge and learning. As usual, the enthusiastic Teton School of Science instructors were well prepared with a variety of educational activities. Students at each grade level participated in fun, “hands-on” science over a three-day period. Fourth graders studied beavers and fifth graders researched bears, while sixth graders learned all about animal adaptations. Day one consisted of observation activities. Students built an animal out of a fellow student, discovering all kinds of animal facts. Then students were assigned various research stations where they studied skins, furs, claws, prints, scat, habitats and more. Both students and faculty of Hooper Elementary thoroughly enjoyed the three day science experiment.
1994
With the official opening of the Soda Springs Pathway there is still much work to be completed. The City has received a grant for $15,000. This money will be used for signage along the pathway, benches, trees, bluebird nest boxes, and any other improvements. The pathway planning committee will be meeting later this month to discuss options and strategies for the grant money. A stipulation of the grant is that it needs to be matched with in-kind labor or financial contributions. Members of the committee are Bart Conlin, Dave Doerr, Dennis Duehren, Bill Horsley, Dale Moon, Verlin Poulsen, Carol Lynn Rigby, Tim Schroeder, Tony Varilone, Michael Vice, and Karen Womack, as well as support from the Caribou Soil Conservation District, the Caribou County Development Corporation, Monsanto, the Soda Springs Lions Club, and the Soda Springs Gem Committee. Mayor Kirk Hansen and Monsanto employees Michael Vice and Dave Farnsworth in a ribbon occurring ceremony.
1984
Questions from personal finances to how many part-time jobs they had greeted the three candidates for Caribou County Sheriff last Thursday at a Chamber of Commerce non forum for candidates. Republican incumbent Sheriff Richard Weaver, Democratic challenger Carl Toupin, and write-in candidate Glen Armstrong each gave a brief history about themselves and then fielded questions from the audience. Armstrong, 34, who came within 38 votes of winning the Republican nomination during the primary, said he started in law enforcement in Montperlier in 1974, and then the Bear Lake County Sheriff’s in 1977. Currently, he is the crime prevention officer with the SSPD. He promoted active DUI enforcement. He is on the ballot as a write-in candidate. Democratice candidate Carl Toupin, 28, told the large group at the luncheon that he moved to Caribou County in 1975 and became affiliated with the police reserves. He started law enforcement work fulltime in 1981 with the Sheriff’s Office. He suggested that he would reduce the department’s spending. Sheriff Weaver, 43, said that the people of the county deserved someone with the right experience. He pointed to his record of organizing anti-drug policies and programs, and we scrutinized intensely during the last campaign, at the end of which he was elected. Sheriff Weaver also suggested that the people of the county deserved someone in the position who had the skills and ability to handle budgeting for the department. All three men were in possession of moustaches.
Children in Soda Springs and surrounding communities are invited to participate in a Bicycle Safety Day Program at the Mountain View Shopping Center parking lot. The event was co-sponsored by the SSPD and the SSFD, State Farm Insurance, Maughan & Associates, Walker Insurance Group, Farm Bureau Insurance Group, Farm Bureau Insurance, S.E. Matthews Insurance, Jolley and Associates and the Modern Woodman of America. “Bicycle riders will be tested on their riding skills and safety knowledge and have their bicycles safety inspected. Also, a free bicycle license will be issued to each participant and the number registered to aid in recovering lost or stolen bicycles.” Members of the sponsoring groups will administer the mechanical inspection, provide the free license and registration, and judge and score the skills test.
1969
A 1960 automobile operated by Craig Ozburn of Soda Springs was traveling west when the driver lost control of the car and it rolled over. The driver was taken to the local hospital for treatment. The car, valued at $700, was totally demolished. The accident occurred 8.5 miles north of Soda Springs on the Ten Mile road. Sheriff Ralph Marriott investigated.
North Gem was defeated by Grace for the second time this season, thus letting Grace clinch the district championship. The score was Grace 26, North gem 12. Not much can be said about this game except that the Cowboys were not playing the ball. The first half the Cowboys played fairly well and led the Devils 12-6, but in the second half the Cowboys faltered and Devils came on ever stronger. North Gem plays West Side next. The reports predicts that by the end of the next week, North Gem will have added a win.
The Soda Springs Cardinals stayed in contention for possible Southeastern Idaho Conference honors with a 40-6 win over American Falls on the Beavers’ field last Wednesday night. The Cardinals had trouble getting their offense started, but when it began to click they dominated the game.
