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

Soda Springs School District 150 Superintendent Molly Stein confirmed last Thursday morning that there were eight cases of COVID-19 early in the day, and another two by the end of the day, making ten in total.  An email was sent by the superintendent to parents, notifying them of the development.  “We are working with Southeast Idaho Public Health with tracing and isolation protocols and we will keep you updated,” she said in the email.   Emails were sent out to parents of those who were identified as having close contact with a confirmed case by Soda Springs High School Principal Jess McMurray/. He said it was in conjunction with SIPH to conduct contact tracing to try to determine which students had close contact with a confirmed case.  “The football team has decided to self-quarantine for the health and safety of our players and our school,” the email continued.  “This is consistent with how we have proceeded with the volleyball team and the cheer team.  The quarantine period includes all school events including other extracurricular and co-curricular events.”   Principal McMurray added “Students that are quarantining due to COVID-19 are still a vital part of our school and each classroom they would “normally “ be in.  As a result of this, we will not count these days against our students as long as they Zoom into their classes, or make other arrangements with their teachers.”

The State of Idaho will begin making payments for the Trump Administration’s new plan to offer extended unemployment benefits in order to continue Idaho’s economic rebound.  “Idaho is third among states for lowest unemployment rates, thanks to the investments and creativity of Idaho’s businesses in safely reopening,” Governor Brad Little said.  “We chose to participate in President Trump’s new program as part of a comprehensive approach to our economic rebound, which includes small business grants and return-to-work incentives.”  President Trump issued an executive memorandum earlier this month creating the Lost Wages Assistance program and replacing the recently expired Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program, which paid an extra $600 a week to those receiving unemployment benefits.  The Lost Waged program is funded through the Federal Emergency Management Administration.  “Idaho’s economy is open, and most Idahoans have returned to work safely.  However, the number of available jobs reported in Idaho is still lower than the number of unemployed Idahoans,” Governor Little said.

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee held a hearing on the Grizzly Bear State Management Act.  The legislation, which was introduced by Sen. Mike Enzi of Wyoming and cosponsored by Idaho Senators Jim Risch and Mike Crapo, would remove the grizzly bear from the endangered species list in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and permit states the manage the species.  “Species management is a critical tool to protect species and ecosystems, and Idaho’s local wildlife managers have a history of successful species management based on collaboration and science.  We have worked for over a decade to expand delisting of grizzly bears, a species that has successfully met its recovery foals in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem,” said Senators Risch and Crapo.  The grizzly bear was first listed as threatened in 1975.  In 2017, the Fish and Wildlife Service removed the Yellowstone population of the grizzly bear from the endangered species list. Citing a significant increase in bear populations and a doubling of their range land.  In September 2018, a federal judge in Montana ruled to put the grizzly bear back on the endangered list.  The state of Wyoming appealed the decision, and in July a federal appeals court upheld the continued protections for the grizzly bear.

2010

Ember Casperson of Bancroft had an outstanding rodeo season this fall.  First of all, she is a member of the BRCA barrel racing club and competed in the 9-13 age group and ended the season winning the youth barrel racing saddle.  She won the year end average in the pole bending and the goat tying.  She also competed in the Gooding Youth Rodeo winning the pole and goat tying, and ended up winning the reserve all-around champion and received a breast collar, two belt buckles, and spur straps.  This tiny 10 year old fifth grader at North Gem Elementary also competed in the High Desert Junior Rodeo Association.  She won the year end poles, goat flanking, and placed third in the barrels.  Again all her hard work paid off winning the All Around Cowgirl Saddle and several other prizes.  Ember rides a sixteen-hand eleven year old bay gelding named Willy, whom she is quick to praise.

An accidental discharge of a firearm resulted in a Soda Springs resident seeking medical attention on Sept 12 according to an investigation by the Soda Springs Police Dept.  SSPD Officer Dallan Hall responded after a caller reported his neighbor had accidentally shot himself in the leg.  Officer Hall reported that Rodney Higgins was unloading his truck from a hunting and fishing trip when he reached into the back of the truck to get his firearm, a .25-06 bolt action rifle, and accidentally grabbed the trigger, which discharged a round that entered his knee and exited about six inches down his leg.

Janet Frankos and Jeff Parker won the 46th Annual Uobirac Golf Tournament at the Oregon Trail Country Club.  

2000

Thirkill Thunderbirds School Report—Kindergarten:  In Kindergarten this week, we learned about the color red.  We also practiced stroke so we can hold our pencils correctly and learn to write our names.  For Back to School night, we made an Acorn Man.  We read stories at story time.  We draw in our tablets and we sing songs.  We go to centers and learn things.

Three new homes are being built in the Chesterfield area.  The home of Josh and Lori Green is making great progress.  Their home is jut off the Kelly-Toponce Road between Al Johnson’s and the Cranes’.  The Knox Farm, owned by Phillip and Chris Knox is also making great progress.  They have their indoor arena built and their home is coming right along.  It is built on the former Hy Miles place.  The home of Craig and Elizabeth Crandall is being built now and is making progress.   

Soda Springs Police Department is investigating five auto burglaries that took place over the weekend, as well as three previous ones that are still unsolved.  Items taken in the burglaries included stereos, speakers, CDs, and miscellaneous property.  They happened Saturday night.  All vehicles either were not locked or had an open window.  No forced entry was made.

A public hearing before the Soda Springs City Council last week to raise water and sewer rates brought no public comments and was adopted by the city officials.  Council President Randy Prescott thanked Councilman Mitch Hart for his hard work on trying to make the rates equitable among all ratepayers.  The rate increase was necessary to cover the rising costs of sewer and water services in the city.  A single family user will see a 15 percent increase in water rates in the off season and 35 percent during the summer.  Sewer increase is ten percent.  Hart said that while those increases sound very large, it amounted to about $2 a month in the off season and $5 in the summer for water for a single family user.  “The rates here are within pretty good reason, compared to Malad,” Councilman Tom Thomas said, noting Malad is on meters for water and they pay 65 cents per thousand gallons over a base price.  In addition to those rate increases, the hook-up fees for new users went up, as did garbage rates in the city.  

A resolution in support of the community center being proposed to be built with donations, gifts, and user fees was given strong approval by the mayor and council in Soda Springs.  Councilman Varilone noted a survey was mailed out a few years back in city power bills and it had a 25 percent return response.  In it, 95 percent favored a community center and  two-thirds of those had a swimming pool listed as a top priority.  “It’s a good idea and we need to support the concept every way we can,” Prescott said.  The city has offered land at the entrance of Kelly Park for the location.  Funding efforts will begin shortly.  

Some residents of Bancroft have been experiencing some unfavorable incidents involving uncontrolled dogs.  Dog owners need to be aware that they are required to keep their animals on a leash when it is off the owner’s property.  The ordinance states, “A nuisance shall mean a dog that damages, defiles, soils, or defecates on private property other than the owner’s, or on public walks and recreation areas unless such waste is immediately removed and properly disposed of by the owner, causes unsanitary, dangerous, or offensive conditions; causes a disturbance by excessive or continuous barking or other noise making; or chases vehicles, or molests, attacks, or interferes with persons or other domestic animals on public property.”  The city has received numerous complaints that violates the ordinance, which also provides for steps necessary to address the issue of offending dogs.  The City of Bancroft encourages dog owners to be aware of their neighbors and respect their rights to enjoy a quiet peaceful community. 

The Department of Environmental Quality recently issued a new operating permit to Soda Springs Phosphate.  The new operating permit assures emissions from the Soda Springs Phosphate facility are in compliance with all federal and state statutes and regulations concerning the control of air pollution.  The department said in response to a petition they recently received expressing concerns about air emissions, the new operating permit requires more stringent operation of the facility, including annuals performance testing, odor complaint response, monitoring, and operational controls for the air pollution control system.  The odor complaint response was placed in the operating permit from a comment received during the 30-day public comment period for Soda Springs Phosphate’s Operating Permit.

1970

Twenty-four girls at Ricks College make up the school’s field hockey team.  Listed as a team member is Zandra Perkins, of Bancroft.  Miss Janice Harrop, coach, said the Wasatch Conference will have championships in field hockey and badminton at Ricks October 30-31.  Teams competing will be from Brigham Young University, and Ricks.  Last year, Rick’s defeated BYU three times in field hockey.  Miss Harrop said Ricks will go to Pocatello some time in October to meet the ISU team. 

The Annual Staff of the Soda Springs High School is proud to present the 1970 Cardinal.  After a long delay, the annuals have finally arrived.  The traditional Annual Signing Party will be held Friday night following the football game at the dance which is to be sponsored by the Pep Club and Cheerleaders.  The annuals will be picked up at the snackshack at the school.  Extra annuals will be sold for $7.50 for those who didn’t order last spring.

Five thousand 20 page brochures of the City of Soda Springs and surrounding area were delivered recently to the Chamber of Commerce by the Caribou County Sun.  Vic Lansberry presented the brochures to Mayor Allen Tigert and Chamber of Commerce President Bob Chase.  The brochures were a Chamber of Commerce project, with help in financing from the City of Soda Springs.  They contain pertinent information about the city and area, and this year, for the first time, have two pages of vital statistics, such as altitude, area, population, climate, building permits, financial facts, retail sales, per capita income, employment and population breakdown.  The brochures are available at the Chamber of Commerce Office in the Sun building, or at the City Hall in Soda Springs.