Looking Back at Pages from the Past
Rebecca Via works on Rylan’s haircut at Saturday’s fundraiser benefit for Tricia Dockstader last November.
2020
While there weren’t many surprises from Idaho voters in last Tuesday’s election, all eyes were on the presidential race in which Joe Biden was declared the winner Saturday by the Associated Press when they announced he won Pennsylvania and had exceeded the 270 electoral college votes needed to win. Georgia, North Carolina, Arizona, and Alaska were still too close to call Saturday morning, but even if President Trump won all of those, he would still be short. Biden was leading in several of those states by narrow margins. Some of the state election results will be challenged in court and by recounts by Trump’s campaign. Biden won the popular vote by the most ballots ever cast for a candidate in record turnouts and his over 73 million votes bettered Obama’s 69.5 million that had been the previous highest number cast for a single candidate. In Idaho, Trump carried the state easily by 64 percent to Biden’s 33 percent. That was the same spread that Republican Senator Jim Risch had to defeat Democrat Paulette Jordan. In District 32, all three incumbent Republicans were re-elected, with Senator Mark Harris and Representative Marc Gibbs having no opposition. Incumbent Rep. Chad Christensen defeated challenger Bill Leake 18,130 to 6,008. The constitutional amendment to establish 35 legislative districts in the state instead of having a floating number that can vary passed by 68 percent. Caribou County saw a record breaking turnout of voters when residents cast absentee ballots by mail and also voted at the polls, with 3,457 ballots cast. Caribou County Clerk Denise Horsley said they had never has that many same day registrations at 455, plus the 3,947 who had already registered by the official cutoff. The 4,402 total registered voters is a record for the county, Horsley said, along with the record number of ballots cast, which results in a 78.5 percent rate of registered voters at the polls.
Overall in the county, Trump took 85 percent of the votes cast compared to Biden, who took 13 percent. As was the case with many of the absentee ballots across the country, Democrats had a higher mail-in voting percentage than ballots cast at the polls on voting day. IT was in the neighborhood of twice as many votes cast for Democratic candidates in absentee voting, though the numbers overall were still low. Specifically, Trump received 2,906 votes to Biden’s 431. Jim Risch took 81 percent of the votes for senate over 14 percent for Paulette Jordan. Rep. Simpson was at 85 percent over Swisher’s 10 percent.
County officials ran unopposed in the general, as the candidates were all Republicans and essentially won the election by way of the earlier primary. Elected officials included Marty McCullough, Bryce Somsen, J. Adam Mabey, and S. Douglas Wood. Magistrate Judge David Kress was retained at 92 percent of the vote.
Gov. Brad Little signed an executive order Friday mobilizing the Idaho National Guard to help the pandemic response in new ways, and he signed a new statewide public health order rolling Idaho back into a modified Stage 2 of the Idaho Rebounds plan, which is more restrictive. This is in accord with national guidelines set by the Trump administration. Healthcare leaders say they are weeks away from having to ration care because too many healthcare workers are out sick with COVID-19. That means they will have to turn people away from emergency department of they will be unable to provide the best care for patients with COVID-19, heart attacks, strokes, and other health issues. “This is the biggest challenge facing healthcare right now—the availability of trained healthy nurses and doctors to care for all patients, not just COVI-19 patients. This impacts all of us, whether we hate COVID-19 or not,” Gov. Little said. The Executive Order calls 100 troops to provide a host of capabilities where they are needed, potentially including mobile testing support, medical facility decontamination, or COVID-19 screenings, in addition to ongoing planning and logistics support. Under the new statewide Stage 2 public health order: Gatherings of more than 10 people are prohibited. The does not pertain to religious or political expression. Physical distancing is required for all gatherings. At risk Idahoans should self-isolate. All Idahoans are encouraged to telework whenever possible and feasible with business operations. Masks continue to be required in many critical locations and points of contact. Businesses will remain open under the new statewide public health order. However, all individuals and businesses should continue following recommended protocols to minimize transmission, including wearing masks when around others not in your household. Gov. Little stressed the importance of our students remaining in their classrooms for in-person instructions as much as possible. “We put millions of dollars toward the safe operation of schools. Schools are controlled environments and they remain safe places to work and learn, when protocols are followed.”
2010
The three 8th grade U.S. history classes at Tigert Middle School were treated to a special program on Tuesday, Nov. 9 as Gary Petersen and Lewis Toomer, both Vietnam veterans, shared information concerning their experiences in Vietnam. They also explained the purpose and projects of the local Veterans of Foreign Wars. Toomer is the quartermaster VFW Post #9141 and served in Vietnam as a helicopter maintenance man. He doubled as a machine gun operator when in flight to the 173 missions he flew in Vietnam. His helicopter was shot down on three of his missions. Petersen is currently serving as the commander of the local VFW and is the third ranked individual in the region. He served in Vietnam in the communication area and specialized in teletype and also radio maintenance. Many of his assignments flew or convoyed him into dangerous combat areas.
A need to begin switching over new electric meters from those no longer being produced was approved by Soda Springs City Council at last week’s meeting. City Director Alan Skinner reported the manufacturer of the city meters that can be read from a vehicle has ceased production of the model, which cost $112 in 2008. The new replacement meter is $115. The meters would be changed over to the new ones as the older units are replaced, taking two to five years to replace the 1,700 meters the city reads.
Beginning Nov. 20 there will be some changes to the line of travel for the U.S. Postal Service mail city delivery in Soda Springs. The business section of town (South Main and 2nd South) will be delivered by the auxiliary route. This area of town can expect to received mail regularly from morning to possibly noon on heavy mail days. The area by the post office can expect to receive their mail early in the morning. A change will be made involving the Pioneer/Kelly Park and North Hooper areas. They will be moved to about the middle of the day. The area around the high school to North Main will be towards the end of the day.
2000
A surprise tribute to World War II veteran Gerald Jolley was the highlight of the Tigert Middle School Veteran’s Day assembly. Jolley serves as the school counselor and also coaches the seventh grade girls basketball team. Jolley talked on what it meant to be a veteran and the importance of patriotism to the nation’s past. He stressed that he was one of the lucky ones who came home and had the opportunity to live a good life. Jolley joined the Army at 18 in 1943 and served throughout the Pacific.
Thirty performers, friends, and a few spouses recently flew to Orlando, Florida to take part in the “Rockin’ Rhythm Cloggers” adult clogging program. Those performers were Coleen Benson, Tina Bitton, Laurel Fox, Denise Gilbert, Marlene Hamilton, Cheryl Hebdon, Michelle Higginson, Suzanne Hill, Leslie Lloyd, Daralyn Mansfield, Erin Brook Nielsen, Carol Oxenbein, Sharlene Simons, Diann Spencer, and Julie Wright. The group was under the direct ion of JanaLe Fox of Thatcher.
Under the direction of Susan Murdoch, the Soda Springs High School production class will present the musical comedy “Bye Bye Birdie.” This show is fast-paced, comical, clearly misunderstood—a dynamic comedy. It is about an Elvis Presley type rock star who mesmerizes the small town of Sweet Apple, Ohio; even Mayor Hansen (played by Jordan Hansen) gets swept up in the fervor.
1970
Steve Jones of Soda Springs, miraculously escaped serious injury Friday afternoon when the truck he was driving was struck by a Union Pacific freight train at the First East Street crossing in Soda Springs. The truck, belonging to City Transfer and Storage Co, which is owned by Jones, was a unit which was made up of a tractor and two trailers in tandem, and was loaded with grain. It was struck broadside between the two trailers, be the eastbound freight, scattering grain and wreckage for several hundred feet down both sides of the track. The train’s engine was also damaged extensively.
One of the most unique man and wife teams to ever come to Soda Springs is a couple from Longview, Washington, who were here last week to follow their trade of tower service. Jim and Jean Marx, who specialize in radio and television construction maintenance, painting, and relamping, or replacement of tower lights, repaired and repainted Radio KBRV’s 326 foot tower. The Marxes travel throughout the United States to follow their trade, but mostly work in Idaho, California, Utah, Washington, Oregon, Montana, and Wyoming.
Caribou County’s official population in the 1970 census was 6,534, up 9.3 percent from the 1960 figure of 5,976, according to the Bureau of Census, U.S. Department of Commerce. The official population of the state was 712,567, up 6.8 percent from the 1960 population count, which was 667,191.
1975
Changes in grocery shoppers’ buying habits are certain to affect farmers and the entire agricultural marketing system, the Idaho State Wheat Growers Association was advised Monday by Dr. Richard W. Schermerhorn, head of the Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Idaho College of Agriculture. “For years, working wives have demanded processed, ready prepared foods with built in maid service,” Schermerhorn told the wheat growers’ annual convention here. “If housewives decide to save money by witching back to home-prepared foods, this will have a tremendous impact on our total marketing system.” Producers should avoid “overreactions to changes in demand,” the UI economist said. “In the past few years, producer overreaction has caused instability of prices received by farmers—and this has not been food for either the consumer of the producer,” he said.
1964
Karen Modersitzki and children were Sunday dinner guests at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Meiners.
Mr. and Mrs. William Tremelling visited in Layton, Utah over the weekend with their son, Mr. and Mrs. Lester Tremelling and family.
The Delta Kappa Gamma Sorority held a luncheon in Preston last week in the dining room of the bowling alley. Teachers from the area who attended were Gwen Stalker, Lula Willaims, Beth Conlin, Vera Young, Esther Zeigler, and Evelyn Thirkill.
1953
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Tipton were in Salt Lake City last Tuesday for the unveiling of the 1954 Studebaker.
Mr. and Mrs. O.B. Campbell of Pocatello visited here with relatives Sunday. Mr. Campbell is the brother of Mrs. Grace Beus and Ray.
Mrs. and Mrs. Arnold Qualman were visitors at the Herman Maughan home Wednesday. The evening was spent watching television.
About 40 of their relatives were here for the housewarming given Mr. and Mrs. Dean Lloyd Sunday.
1929
Mrs. Theo. Enders has spent the past ten days on the Enders Ranch near Henry. J.F. Woodall, former resident of this place and now of Ogden, was a visitor here for the fore part of the week. Jim is always a welcome visitor in these parts.
As guards, Allen Tigert and Forrest Romero were men who got down and held the line when told to do so and when holes were wanted, bored in with equal facility.
The new residences of Mr. and Mrs. Heber Lau and MR. and Mrs. Wm. Gagon are nearing completion. They will be ready for occupancy by the Christmas holidays.
