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

Blue Cross of Idaho announced that the company has waived all member cost0sharingfor testing and treatment of COVID-19.  The company’s decision benefits its individual, fully-insured and Medicate Advantage members.  The expansion covers cost-sharing treatment received through June 2020.  “As we join together to help our families, friends, and neighbors, we are committed to expanding access to care while removing financial barriers to help out members.  Our focus and compassion remain on Idaho, and we are proud to partner with the healthcare community to meet their rapidly changing need,” Blue Cross CEO Charlene Maher said.  Enhanced prescription coverage, testing, telehealth, and expanded support of independent health care providers are some of the moves Blue  Cross has implemented.

According to Idaho’s Covid-19 Unified Command Team, JustServe.org is offering opportunities for the community to volunteer to help those in need in the local community.  Some of these opportunities include delivering food and medicine to vulnerable populations who are unable to go out, donating food and paper supplies to those in need, and working with the Idaho Foodbank to package food.  “During these difficult and uncertain times, we can find solace in helping others in need,” said Kevin Bailey, with the United Way of Southeastern Idaho.  “We encourage members of the community to reach out to individuals that live alone.  The coronavirus brings with it unprecedented fear, anxiety, and uncertainty.  Social connection can help alleviate some of this.  Face to face interactions are discouraged, but you can call, text, video chat, or stand outside and talk through a door or window,” Bailey said.     

The Idaho Parks and Recreation Department reminded people that just they were stuck at home, that didn’t mean they couldn’t explore.  For students at home in Idaho, current online learning opportunities Idaho State Parks offer include: Castle Rocks State Park/City of Rocks National Reserves, which is offering online learning through a series of video presentations.  Old Mission State Park is another park with available learning resources for students and the public, with information about Cataldo Mission, Parish house, Couer d’Alene’s Old Mission.  Farragut State Park, Harriman State Park, and many others also currently ready for student exploration on line.  More state parks and other state educational resources are being marshalled into the effort.

Governor Brad Little issued a statewide stay-home order last Wednesday for all Idahoans.  He also signed an extreme emergency declaration, which allows the state to more effectively increase health care capacity, take steps to reduce and slow the spread of the virus, and take rapid and decisive steps to improve the conditions of Idahoans whose job and incomes are being harmed by pandemic.  “From the get-go, our focus has been to slow the spread of coronavirus to protect our most vulnerable citizens and preserve capacity in our healthcare system.  And from the beginning, I stated my commitment to making decisions about our response to coronavirus based on science.  With confirmed community transmission of coronavirus now occurring in Idaho’s most populated areas, we need to take strong measure to ensure out healthcare facilities are not overburdened.  I am following the guidance of our public health experts and issuing a statewide stay-home order effective immediately.” 

People in Idaho are being wanted to be extra vigilant as scam callers are likely to ramp up their activity over the next few weeks to take advantage of increasing numbers of people being at home due to the current Covid-19 outbreak.  CPR Call Blocker, makers of a call blocking device, is predicting that scammers and fraudsters will be ready to strike and take advantage of the situation as more states go into lockdown, forcing people to stay at home, and is warning people in Idaho to be on their guard for a rise in bogus calls.  Some of the scams include asking for personal information in exchange for free testing kits, FDIC scammers claiming to be providing federal emergency funds, fake charity groups, student loan change phishing calls, and healthcare provider requests for information.

2005

The new Caribou County Jail complex, which will also house the Sheriff’s Office, is on schedule and will be completed in time for a May open house if all goes well, the county commissioners and Sheriff Ray Van Vleet said last week.  The $3.8 million complex will be leased by the county under a 30 year lease-purchase program.  The county paid $1 million as a down payment for money saved for a new jail and federal in-lieu of tax (PILT) monies.  The county’s present facility—on the third floor of the courthouse—was built in 1910, Sheriff Van Vleet said.  In addition to a new jail facility that will hold up to 45 persons, an enhanced 911 emergency telephone and dispatch system has been upgraded to be included in the new control and dispatch center at the jail.  That new system has a cost of $400,000 and about half of that was paid with 911 fees of $2 a month per phone charge the county received from residents.  The new phone system is state of the art, according to commissioners Bruce Dredge and Bart Conlin, who toured the construction on site last week.  The system will give the address, location, and even a map of the emergency call.  It can print a map or forward one to other county or city police computers with the location, if needed.  The Soda Springs Police Dept has just recently installed lap-top computers into their vehicles which can use the new map system.  They received a grant for the computers.  The new jail complex will be leased for $215,000 a year.  The sheriff said the county had been spending up to $150,000 with other counties to jail prisoners from Caribou.  Because of the size of the facility, they expect to be able to house other jurisdictions’  prisoners for $40 to $50 a day, making the new jail pay for itself, and possibly even generate revenue.  Six new deputies have been hired to run the jail under recently promoted Captain Geary Bybee.  The jail has a complete kitchen, outdoor exercise area, a room for a law library and classes, several pods to house different populations, including women, and a work release room where inmates can leave to go to work.  The complex also includes a drivers license area.

Soda Springs mayor Kirk Hansen proclaimed that the city will celebrate Arbor Day on April 29 this year.  This is the fifth consecutive year that the city has held an Arbor Day celebration.  David Camptell, chair of the city tree committee, Councilwoman Lynda Lee, and other tree committee members have planned a program for that day.  The city received a grant of $150 this year to purchase two trees.  These trees will be planted in selected locations at the city park.  This is part of a long-term plan of the city and the tree committee to ensure continued tree presence in the park as the older trees die off.  The park and the trees resulted from the efforts of long-time city manager Thomas Corrigan, to create a park in the location.

Forty-three friends and family of S/Sgt. Robert D. Carney met at the home of his grandparents, Ellen and Lew Nelson, for a coming home party and “Christmas in March.”  Sgt. Carney recently returned from his second tour of duty in Iraq.  He is the son of Maureen Hale from Grace.  “When I found out Robert was coming home in March, and said I was going to keep the Christmas tree up until he arrived, most people thought I was crazy, but I think he really enjoyed it,” Mrs. Nelson said.  “He brought his daughter, Kindra, and we had a few gifts under the tree for each of them.”  Carney is a members of 3MAW MWCS, TAC Bravo Company in the field of communications engineering.  “We provide vital satellite and terrestrial links to ground forces to provide close air support,” he said.  “After 18 month there, no matter where I am in the U.S., it is the greatest place in the world and every moment I’m alive is the greatest moment in my life.  Basically, I’m really glad to be a part of something which helps the American and the Iraqi people.  If anything we did lessened threats and promoted freedom, I was glad to do it.”

Agrium CPO, AStaris, and the Grand Teton Council of the Boy Scouts of America have entered into a unique agreement that will guarantee land for a Boy Scout camp and preserve and enhance the local environment.  For 11 years, Astaris has been mining at the Dry Valley Mine.  With Agrium’s recent takeover of operations, they had begun mitigating some of the 111 acres of land that were disrupted by mining.  As part of the mitigation, the companies have arranged for the Boy Scouts to preserve and maintain the wetland areas.  In exchange for the Scouts’ agreement to maintain the wetland values of the restored areas, Agrium and Astaris will transfer ownership of the 111 acres of wetland, as well as 367 upland acres, to the Boy Scouts for a permanent summer camp.

1990

Most county residents have notices the new road signs scattered throughout the area on county roads.  The recent road signing project has been completed by the AA Hudson and Associates under a contract with the county.  The signs—and residential numbering system—began as a grant with county participation.  Various utility companies in the state had offered to fund grants to counties willing to set up a road signing and numbering system for better and quicker identification of rural home owners.  Caribou County Commissioner Max Rigby said hearings were even held on the names of some of the 400 roads in the county for changes in those names to better identify them or to go along with what the residents wanted their roads to be called.  But even at that, Rigby said, some people still aren’t happy with the road designations.  In addition to naming roads and giving residences individual numbers, all electric pumps will have numbers and locations recorded.  Such a numbering system not only helps utility companies locate residences faster, it is a great help for emergency services, Rigby said, such as law enforcement, EMTs, and the county fire department.  “We have a big county and sometimes people are not sure about some of the roads,” the commissioner said.  “This is a big help for them.”  A problem arising from the signing of the roads is theft and vandalism to the signs.  Rigby urged anyone seeing theft of signs or people destroying them to report the information to the county sheriff, as the signs could be critical to emergency services.

The Soda Springs Class of 1965 is having their 25th year reunion and needs help in locating Robert Denning and Russell Covert.  If you have any information, call Bob Hemmert or Peg Smith.

Republican candidate for governor Roger Fairchild visited Grace Wednesday to meet with voters.  Fairchild said he is for “right to life” except in unusual cases threatening the life of the mother.  He believes in fiscal and personal responsibility and will release copies of his income tax returns for many years, as candidates running for high office are expected to do.  He feels that the ongoing duel between environmental issues could be resolved with good, common sense communication between those concerned.  He feels that grazing fees in Idaho are too high.  He would like to see an equalization of those fees, and then freeze them to prevent the constant bickering. 

The Republican Central Committee of Caribou County met, chaired by Gerald O. Tolman of Bancroft.  Meeting discussions centered on providing public forums for the opportunity of county voters to get acquainted with local, regional, state, and national candidates for elective offices.  It was announced that the “Larry Craig 1990 Campaign Express” would be coming to town.  

The American Cancer Society in Soda Springs announced that it would be selling daffodils for 50 cents each to raise funds for the Society’s cancer research and education programs.  “The daffodil is the first flower of spring, and as such symbolizes hope and renewed life, Judy Clark, Chairman of Daffodil Days, said.