Looking Back at Pages from the Past

2020

Curtis Jay Allen reported that “On Oct. 23 a very unique and memorable occasion occurred in Soda Springs.  George and Judy Allen’s youngest child, Randall, joined an elite group, the Eagle Scouts.  What made this occasion so memorable was the fact that this was not George and Judy’s first son to receive his Eagle award.  In fact Randall was not the second nor the third, but the eighth son to join the rank of Eagle Scout.  The Allen family would say they are just like anyone else, but on a larger scale.  George has worked for 21 years with the Idaho Transportation Department and he is the foreman of the Soda Springs crew.  Judy has been a stay-at-home mom and recently started working for the school district’s lunch program in Soda Springs.  Both come from the Rupert area and have been married for 34 years.  George and Judy are the parents of Micahel, Kimbol, Wendy, Misty, Casey, Crystal, Jennifer, Tyrel, Curtis, Jeremy, Ivan, Amber, Stacy, and Randall,  Go ahead and count them again, 14.  Fourteen children in 16 years and only one at a time; now, that is an accomplishment. 

Ask any scoutmaster what individuals are the most influential in helping a young man achieve the rank of Eagle and they will say the parents.  This is true with the Allens as well.  George and Judy have put hours upon hours of service into the scouting program.  They have attended or put on more pack meetings, Blue and Gold banquets, and Pinewood Derbies than they can count.  Countless times they checked and rechecked backpacks to make sure the boys were ready for campouts and many a time they gathered gloves and rakes for service projects.  They kept their boys motivated to continue striving for the Eagle award by living the Scout law.  One will not find a more serviceable couple.  Geroge and Judy can now being to see the fruits of their labors.

Receiving the Eagle Scout is not the end, instead, it is the perch from which an Eagle may soar to higher and greater heights.  

The Allen boys are examples of this.  Michael’s Eagle project was done at the shooting range for the City of Rupert Police Department. He served an LDS mission to Tegucigalpa, Honduras, until its temporary closure in 1991.  He then served in Riverside, California.  He received a bachelors degree from Utah State University and a masters from Notre Dame in Civil Engineering.  He currently works for a firm in San Francisco.

Kimbol did his Eagle project for East Minico Junior High in Rupert.  He went to Hamburg, Germany for his LDS mission after which he received his bachelors degree from Utah State University in Civil Engineering and works for the Idaho State Transportation Department in Twin Falls

Casey’s Eagle project was restoring and old home at Minidoka County museum for the Historical Society of Minidoka.  His mission was in Arcadia, Cam and he now works for his uncle’s company in Draper.   

Tyrel’s project was for Soda Springs High School.  His mission was to Pittsburgh, PA.  He is now starting a tiling company in Salt Lake.

Curtis did his project for Soda Springs High School as well. His mission was to Joao Pessoa, Brazil.  He is studying at Utah State University.

Jeremy’s Eagle project was done for the Soda Springs 3rd Ward, and he just returned from his Washington, D.C. North mission to study business at Idaho State.

Ivan built toys for the Soda Springs Stake Center nursery for his Eagle project.  He returned in October from his mission to Dallas, and is now living in Salt Lake and intends to attend college.

Randall removed an old fence for the City of Soda Springs as his Eagle project.  He is a junior at Soda Springs High School and has plans to serve an LDS mission and then college.  

All eight agree that Boy Scouts of America helped make them who they are today and all are thankful for the many experiences they had on their path to become an Eagle Scout.

2010

A pickup truck pulling a horse trailer struck a Caribou County road grader near the Conda Junction on Highway 34 north of Soda Springs Thursday morning, causing extensive vehicle and trailer damage, and killing a horse in the trailer, ISP Cpl. Eric Bates reported Friday.  The 2006 GMC Duramax pickup was driven by Phil Young of Soda Springs was north bound on Highway 34 when a Caribou County Road and Bridge road grader made a U-Turn in front of Young, who struck a road grader and hit a snow bank.

Chris Voigt, head of the Washington State Potato Commission, ended his 60-day all potato diet on Nov. 29.  He started the diet on Oct 1 to draw attention to federal proposals to bat or limit potatoes in some programs.  While Voigt said he wouldn’t consider the stunt a total success unless the government changes its stance, potato lovers and growers alike take delight in the fact that he not only lost 21 pounds, but his cholesterol level fell 67 points, shocking both himself and his doctor.  Potatoes are the only vegetable not allowed to be purchased under the Womens, Infants and Childs program, known as WIC.

Main streets of southeastern Idaho’s rural communities, once full of small town American vitality, have seen prosperous businesses leave or close, leaving empty buildings and little traffic.  Each spring rural communities in Idaho and across the country watch another class of high school students line up for graduation, but instead of taking over a family business or finding work locally, most prepare to leave for college or jobs in larger cities.  While youth migration is occurring for many complex reasons, educational and career options exist for Idaho youth who wish to stay in their rural communities.  Online education may end up being one of the saviors of rural Idaho.

As the shortest day of the year approaches, it should be noted that bears don’t hibernate because it’s cold, but because food disappears.  Unable to eat dormant trees and dead grass, they have evolved mechanisms allowing them to sleep for nearly half a year.  Some bodily functions are suspended or slowed, others are altered, and the rest continue at the baseline rate.  This complex physiology is incredible.

The Southeast Idaho Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Foundation helped less fortunate families in the area by offering warm smiles and hearty meals this holiday season. Through the Turkey Hunters Care program, the Southeast Idaho Chapter provided 79 turkeys to families to complete their holiday meals.

2000

First place winner of the 6th Annual Big Buck Contest sponsored by Custom Heating of Grace was Gene Olsen of Grace, with his entry rack which totaled 45 ½ inches.  Travis Ostler was the second place winner, totaling 44 ¾ inches, with third place being won by David Miles close behind with a measurement of 44 ½ inches.  Kayla Smith won the junior division, and also the first girl to take the winning spot with a total of 37 5/8 inches.

Thank yous were given to the following people who shared their time, skills, and talents to benefit the Senior Citizen Center in the month of November.  The following individuals shared themselves with us last month: Linda Anderson, Pat Boyd, Melva Cook, Dancing Grannies, Shirley Fiske, Gail George, Dale Greenlee, Ralph and Zula Hamp, Golden Hardy, LaViel and Gladys Hildreth, Linda Horn, Clause Jeppsen, Delilah Martinsen, Shirley Nelson, Bob and Anne Rasmussen, Joe and June Roswell, Dylan South, Jason South, Ellis and Shirley Skinner, and Vee L. Taylor.  DaNiel Bybee and Margaret Barker brought Cub Scout Pack 508 to smash aluminum cans for us; we greatly appreciated and enjoyed the experience.

The annual Christmas Concert will be Dec 10 at the LDS Stake Center.  Winifred Alldaffer, Susan Murdoch, Ryan Anderson, and Betsy Summers will direct an 80-coice choir in a season celebration.  Kathy Campbell will direct a 30-piece orchestra, and Sheila Lowe will direct a youth choir.  Come see your friends and neighbors perform beautiful Christmas music.

A black wolf that was responsible for killing two dozen sheep last winter northeast of Soda Springs and another 10 more injured or killed this fall has been destroyed under a lethal taking provision authorized by the U.S. Fish and Game Service.  Craig Maycock, district supervisor for the USDA Wildlife Services, confirmed the animal was killed on Nov 21.  The black colored wolf was turned over to the Fish and Wildlife Services to be sent to an Oregon forensics lab to run DNA tests to determine if the world was 100 percent wolf or a possible cross. 

While Northwest energy czars predicting the possibility of severe power shortages this winter, it’s not mistletoe hanging over our head, but the threat of a brown Christmas.  According to recent news reports, cold temperatures and high demand have utility executives and public officials scrambling to finish a regional emergency plan for just such an occasion.  The situation is not expected to brighten very soon,  The Northwest Power Planning Council, the multi-state agency charged with electrical management in the region, says the energy crisis will continue through 2003.  Even with new generating plants scheduled to come on-line then, the added demand from growth in the West could still outpace production.

Family and friends accompanied Kyle Shuler and Heidi Lish to the Logan Temple for their sealing, Friday Nov 25.  Parents are Mr. and Mrs. Craig Shuler and Mr. and Mrs. Gene Lish of Soda Springs. 

1970

There are 24 lights on the Soda Springs Memorial Tree in the city square this year.  Each light commemorates a soldier of Caribou County who has given his life for his country during time of war.  Word Wat I—John Blackburn, Fred J. Call.  World War II—Calvin A. Jenne Jr., Orson C. Anderson, Hubert P. Woody, Roy O. Woody, Glen F. Perkins, Calvin I. Perkins, Sterling J. Neilsen, Robert K. Lallatin, Howard Gummersall, Fay Skinner, Avril J. Foster, Lavar H. Jenkins, Lionel M. Richardson, Junior N. Van Noy.  Korean War—Ralph Cross, Ralph Harrison.  Vietnam—Hal Hollingsworth, Jay Darwin McLain, Craig Hansen, Everett William Brauburger, Doyal Larry Keller, William Val Steele.  

Sheriff Ralph Marriott called out the Caribou County Sheriff’s mobile posse last Friday morning to search for a missing hunter.  Fifteen members of the posse and more than 20 volunteers searched the Eight Mile area before widening the search and finding Duke Seitz, 54, in the Wilson Canyon area.  He was very cold and hungry after his 30 hour ordeal and was taken to the Caribou Memorial Hospital by the posse members.

The Soda Springs Cardinals take to the road for their 190-1971 basketball debut as they meet the Jackson Broncos in a non-conference game at Jackson, Saturday, Dec. 5. The Cardinals 12-man varsity squad this year will include seven returning senior lettermen.  They are Reed Thomas, Kevin Ringel, Jim Sibbett, Fred Christensen, Curtis Hamp, Bobby Anderson, and Kent Smith.  Other squad members are Ron Hughes, Dan Stringham, Bill Horsley, Kim Pugmire, and Kent Allen. 

A near capacity crowd filled the North Gem High School Auditorium Sunday afternoon to hear Adrian Ruger in a piano recital with selections by Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Chopin, and Rachmaninoff.  Young Ruger is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur C. Ruger of Bancroft.  He is a junior at North Gem High School and studies piano under Saralyn Gibson of Grace.

“At the End of Santa Claus Trail” is the operetta chosen by the primary grades at North Gem Elementary School.  In the search for Santa, you will meet the Northern Lights, candles, Christmas bells, stockings, trees and gifts.  Many other Christmas symbols will be presented in the colorful costumes, song and dance.  Directing the production be Mrs. Elsa Jenkins, Miss Henrietta Hogan, and Miss Marva Mickelsen.  Louise Gilbert will be the accompanist.  

Grace staved off a late Malad charge and outgunned the Dragons in the fourth period to take a 58-56 non-conference basketball victory on Saturday night.  Grace led by a good margin at one time in the first half before the Dragons put together some good shooting and rebounding to close the game.  Phil Carter tanked 15 points and netted 18 rebounds to pace Grace.  Jim Goodsell also aided the cause on the boards with 9 rebounds and Dave Johnson 7.  Grace shot 31 percent for the floor and 48 percent from the foul line.