Looking Back at Pages from the Past
2010
The Soda Springs Education Foundation approved $780 in three requests from designated funds that are directed to specific projects, as well as grating nearly $1,800 in educational funding requests at their meeting Thursday. Designated funds were transferred for $130 to the Tigert Middle School dance team, $450 to girls basketball, and $200 to the high school football program from the Gaylen Wilson fund. Foundation Chair Lawrence Rigby reported three grant requests were received and all three were funded.
Each year the Caribou Memorial Hospital Auxiliary “Pink Ladies: provide a Christmas party with entertainment, refreshments, personal items, and clothing for each Living Center resident. As a group, the Pink Ladies actively seek financial assistance from Caribou County service organizations, businesses, groups and individuals wishing to aid in this worthwhile compassionate service. Any monetary contributions will be greatly appreciated by the CMH Auxiliary.
The North Gem Lady Cowboys traveled to Burley High School this past weekend to play in the Idaho State 1A Division II volleyball tournament, representing the Rocky Mountain Fifth-Sixth District. After defeating Dietrich and Tri-Valley, they faced Camas County in the state championship match, but were defeated in four games. The Lady Cowboys brought home the second place trophy which is the highest placement the Lady Cowboys gad ever achieved in the history of North Gem volleyball. The Lady Cowboys also brought home the State Academic Trophy for 1A Division II schools with a combined GPA of 3.677.
2000
Idaho consumers may get some relief from telemarketers thank to a bill the House of Representatives passed. Rep. Mike Simpson voted for the “Know Your Caller Act” to help Idahoans avoid unsolicited phone calls. Specifically, HR 3100 would ban telemarketers from circumventing caller ID services. The bill amends the Communications Act of 1934 to make it unlawful for any person making a telephone solicitation to interfere with or circumvent a caller identification service from accessing or providing the call recipient with identifying information about the call.
Winners in the Arctic Circle Halloween color contest were Whitney Swensen 10-12 years, Taylor Swensen and Carly Skinner 8-9 years, Jake Dyson 6-7 years, Jackie Daniels 4-5 years, and Jessica Hill 2-3 years. Arctic Circle wants to thank all the ghosts and goblins for participating.
Voters will be going to the polls next Tuesday to decide what may be one of the closest races in 40 years for President between George W. Bush and Al Gore. Locally, voters will decide several contested races, too. Among the ballots voters will receive will be a retention ballot for Magistrate Judge Ronald M. Hart. It is a simple yes or no voter to retain him as judge. For county offices, incumbent Democrat Carol Davids-Moore is challenged by Wm. Bart Conlin for county commissioner in the First District. Incumbent Republican Lloyd Rasmussen is running unopposed for commissioner for the Third District. Sheriff Ray Van Vleet is running unopposed for re-election as a Democrat. Clyde Nelson, incumbent Democrat, is seeking re-election for county prosecutor. He is challenged by Republican Criss James.
When Doug Foss started out picking up a few old arrow broadheads, he didn’t realize it would lead to a hobby that has spread to 380 different traditional glue-on broadheads, with help from a local metallurgist. The he got the idea to start collecting hunting points, he found out there are some 2,500 broadheads of all types listed., About 1,200 of those are classified as traditional broadheads that have to be glued on wooden shafts. That’s what he has focused on. His oldest is a Hugo Buckner made in 1927, along with several Case Broadheads made in the 1930s and 40s. “My favorite is a Gus Adkins tip I got from Arlo Hopkins (another Soda Springs archer). They’re very hard to get,” he said pointing out his collection of three of the 10 different heads made. “I trade most of the them and have purchased several,” Foss said, noting there is even a club for broadhead collectors on the internet, where he has gathered much information. He bought 175 heads on eBay on the net. He had many of them and several were multiples of the same head. What it gave him was good trading stick. But he is happiest with broadheads given by local archers Hopkins and Dean Checketts.
Mazie Kukachka of Soda Springs is one of 12 students at Centre College in Danville, KY participating in an academic project to analyze this year’s vice presidential debate, this small group of juniors and seniors find themselves playing the role of political analysts, hovering over every change in the polls. Kukachka is enrolled in an upper-level government seminar, and Prof. Bill Garriott is requiring each student to complete a 15 page paper predicting the election’s outcome and giving a detailed analysis. The paper must be turned in by 4:30 p.m. on election day. Kukachka’s work won’t end that day, however. Each student has been assigned a particular state to analyze, and Kukachka must provide detailed information and predictions about the vote tally in New York. For weeks, she has been scouring news accounts and Internet sites to keep up with the latest polls and political turmoil in New York. Despite the complicated nature of the political campaign, Kukachka and Garriott’s other students seem confident of their ability to explain the campaign and make a reasonable prediction. Their professor has given a very specific incentive for them to succeed. If Kukachka predicts the New York returns to within three percentage points, her research paper meets the course requirements. Miss by more than three points and she’ll have to write a short paper for Garriott describing factors that made the results hard to call. For Kukachka, the government class is the capstone of a remarkable semester at the college. Active in College Democrats, Kukachka was hired to work with Sen. Jospeh Lieberman’s staff during debate week at Centre. She had extensive exposure to the media hall, the campaign offices, and the extensive preparations required for a national political event. Since the debate, she has continued to assist with local Democratic activities. After election day, she and the rest of the class will spend the final four weeks of the semester discussing how each candidate won or lost key states. Kukachka is the daughter of Bob and Marilyn Kukachka of Soda Springs, and is a 1997 graduate of Soda springs High School.
On Friday, Tigert Middle School hosted a “lock-in”. The eighth grade students who attended the Grand Targhee Drug Free Youth Camp this past June put the “lock-in” together with the help of Sue LaRue. The students put on skits, devised games, set up for the presentation, decorated, arranged the music for the dance and made the “lock-I n” and enjoyable experience for the TMS students. The camp embers performed three skits—two were presented at the Targhee camp and the third was one that the students made up. The video presentation was on a 3D screen. Many examples of people who had lost close friends and even family members as a result of making bad choices like drinking, using tobacco and drugs were vividly displayed. “It really makes a person think about what can happen when one makes a bad choice to use substances that harm your body,” Cassie Soles, a co-chair of the event, said. The “lock-in” was set up to help kick-off Drug Awareness Week. The students would like to thank all of the parents that came and helped with activities and chaperoned, Sue LaRue and Linda Lee for their support and Mrs. Simons for helping make the “lock-in” a big success.
1975
A new Soda Springs grocery store and market in the Mountain View Shipping Center is opening Friday, November 7, according to Lew Moldenhauer, manager of Lew and Dan’s IGA Foodliner. The 12,000 foot store is located in a shopping center currently under construction at the corner of Second South and First West in Soda Springs. Fargo’s Spinning Wheel will be moving from their location on 71 South Main to the new shopping center in the near future. “We are opening out doors to five us a chance to meet and serve out new customers. Nearly all final preparations have been completed and we apologize for any minor inconveniences in these first few days of opening,” the manager said. “We love the area and we’ve come to Soda Springs to serve the people,” he added. The Moldenhauer’s came from Buhl where he was a store manager at Shelby’s Market since 1965. He has also served with O.K. Food Centers and Albertsons as assistant manager. Lew’s son Dan is assistant manager. He is a journeyman meat cutter, attended BYU for two years, served a church mission and has worked in a grocery store since he was 14. On July 18 he married Debbie Godfrey of Soda Springs.
Larry Ruth of Sterling, Colorado, recently pleaded guilty to second degree murder in the shooting death of Charles A. Rogmans, 33, on August 7 in Soda Springs. Ruth is currently awaiting a pre-sentence investigation being done by the Idaho Department of Probation and Parole. Second degree murder is punishable by from 10 years to life imprisonment. County Attorney Clyde G. Nelson said that a preliminary hearing on August 20 was held and at the at time there was sufficient evidence established for him to be bound over to District Court on the charge of first degree murder. Since then, Ruth has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of second degree murder and is awaiting sentencing. In other court action, Chales Talcott, 22, Bancrift, waived a preliminary hearing on the charge of possession of a controlled substance (LSD) and was bound over to District Court. No date has been set for trial. Willard G. Fullmer, 20, Pocatello, was bound over to District Court after a preliminary hearing was held on October 29.
Children from the Grace and Thatcher Elementary schools brought their pumpkins to the Grace Elementary Gym for judging. This annual event, sponsored by the Grace Farm Bureau, was directed by Mrs. Dean Clegg, Grace Chairman, and Mrs. Van Johnson, Co-chairman. Judging the entries were Mrs. Keith Bitton, Caribou County Farm Bureau Ladies Chairman, Mrs. Greg Toone, and Mrs. Neal Hubbard. Winners were as follows: most original Lettie Sue Mickelson, Larry Dean Smith. Funniest Norma Smith. Biggest Arlena Smith and Larry McLain. Best decorated, Cristyl Kirby. Odd Shaped, Cristyl Kirby and Chris Lowe.
1970
Idaho will inaugurate the first Democratic Governor since 1946, when Cecil Andryus takes office January 4, 1971. Andrus edged out Governor Don Samuleson, who was trying for a second term, in moderate heavy voting throughout the state Tuesday. On the county level all incumbents were re-elected. These races included Ed Smith over Lafe Holbrook for First District Commissioner; and Kenneth Fowler over Jean Moore for County Clerk and Auditor.
Last Thursday night or Friday morning, one or more vandals attempted to cut down one of the largest of the six trees in the courthouse area, and although apparently frustrated in the act before the job could be completed, did enough damage that the tree is destroyed, and cannot live. The blue spruce trees were planted by Frank Thirkill, Howard Thirkill and George Small Sr. in the spring of 1922.
A basketball rules film will be shown Friday, Nov. 6, at the 7:30 p.m. at the Little Theatre in the Grace High school. The public is invited. The film is being presented in the hopes that it will make for a more interesting basketball season if people will attend and learn more about the rules of the game.
