Looking Back at Pages from the Past
2020
The Wildlife Collision Salvage Rule allows individuals to keep road-killed wildlife species classified as upland birds, upland game animals, big game, furbearers, and predators that may be lawfully hunted or trapped. Unprotected nongame wildlife are also legal for salvage. Protected nongame wildlife, threatened or endangered species, migratory bords (including waterfowl that are federally protected), and other wildlife species not lawfully hunted or trapped may not be recovered, possessed, or salvaged. Since the rule started, thousands of deer, elk, moose, and other species that would have otherwise been wasted have been salvaged for meat, taxidermy, and other uses.
2010
John Lau counted 32 elk at his farm on the east side of Soda Springs on Christmas Eve, as they decided to lay down and wait for darkness. During the night they went into the area where the sheep had been fed and cleaned the hay up. During their stay they broke several high tensile electric fence wires and were gone by daylight on Christmas morning.
A capacity crowd attended the “Dancing with the Stars” benefit held last week at the Gem Valley Performing Arts Center in Grace. Group #2 was chosen by judges as the mirror ball trophy winners. They were Pat and Jared Sorensen, Brett and Angie Smith, Laura and Travis Winkler, and Tonya and Grant Simmons. The benefit was organized by Andrea Holyoak to assist four families in need, due to high medical bills. The spirit of giving was truly manifest as the total dollar amount donated exceeded $9,000.
Edie Bush was the lucky winner of a quilt donated to the Caribou Senior Citizen Center. The project raised over $500 and was headed up by Doris Irving, with Sharon Averett quilting, and Marthel Fowler and Mary Christensen selling tickets.
2000
With Christmas holidays comes an increased chance for home fires, and this year Soda Springs Fire Chief Norm Bjorkman is encouraging residents to be especially safe. He said never to leave home with a candle burning or your Christmas tree lights on. Christmas tree lights left on. Another area of concern is walking on extension of light cords, which may cause the protective coating to wear through and short out. The fire chief noted many people place the cords under carpets or rugs during the holidays to keep the cord covered and people from tripping, but this fear may create a great deal more danger. Watering the Christmas tree is also a routine that needs to be followed during the holidays to keep the bows and needles moist and more fire free. Bjorkman said he and the firemen from SSPD wish everyone a merry Christmas and with a little extra effort they can have a safe holiday.
Restoration of the Enders Hotel building by the Soda Springs Idaho Historical Museum, Inc. has experienced some changes since demolition and start of construction in July. The building was totally stripped from the basement up. New water and sewer hookups to the city have been completed. General Contractor Mick DeWall and subcontractors are presently working on installation of two new gas-fired steam boilers that will provide steam to the restored steam heaters being reinstalled throughout the building as the primary heat source. Carpentry and sheetrock work is nearly complete in the basement area. The exterior of the building is being restored to its original construction with the removal of the hotel and café signs, along with the apartment entries that were added sometimes after initial construction. New windows have been installed throughout the upper two levels with present construction restoring the original front plate glass windows and doors. Masonry contractors have been replacing and resetting brick and cinderbrick on the front and sides of the third floor that have deteriorated from time and the elements. Progress on the project is on schedule due to the excellent cooperation of the general contractor, and his subcontractors, as well as the city of Soda Springs in getting problems solves and moving along smoothly, project manager Brent Maughan said. The ultimate result of this project, in honor of the 1954 graduating class of Soda Springs High School, will be a 30 unit bed and breakfast with a historical museum on the upper floors and a unique historical gift shop, restaurant and banquet room, with an approximate 200 seating capacity. The hotel lobby will be restored to its original condition. Several of the units on the main level are ADA accessible to accommodate folks with disabilities. The restaurant will be the last portion of the building to be restored with minimal interruption to service. Many artifacts have already been donated to date, and the museum is continually interested in anu items of historic or antique nature. Information on donations to the museum and construction progress may be obtained by contacting Mr. Maughan, or the city council.
Thirkill Thunderbirds School Report—Kindergarten: In our class we cooked green rice krispy treats and made them into wreaths for our families. We drew pictures of our families and talked about them all week. We tried to think of things families could do together. “Hickory dickory dock, the mouse ran up the clock.” That’s what we are talking about in our class. We are learning to read the numbers on the clock and the letter “P” and the number “9”.
2nd grade: We have been working on blends. We did second grade rotations and practiced blends, did games with blends, and did bingo with blends. We like the story “Keep the Lights Burning” and Abbie and a lighthouse. Abbie had to keep the lights burning so no one would crash into the rocks. We have had tests in math. We did geoboards and made congruent designs. We did Christmas plates and presents for our moms and dads. We’ve been getting ready for Christmas. We’ve been making letters to Santa. We’re learning the cursive alphabet. We’ve been learning about Christmas in other counties.
3rd grade: We have been doing some Christmas art projects. We have made reindeer, poinsettias, a Santa mystery picture, a Santa tree, and a Christmas mobile. We have been working on cursive and accelerated math. We have been doing science rotations. This is where we go to other 3rd grade classrooms and learn about mining. We do a lot of math in class. We read books and test on them. We are making a present for our moms and dads. We do a lot of fun art projects. We have been making presents for our parents. We made a card to go with them. We wrote Christmas stories and made Santa pictures. We have a tree in our classroom that has lots of presents underneath it. Some of us helped decorate the Christmas tree. We are excited for Christmas. We can barely wait for Santa Claus to come. Our class hopes we have been food so we can get presents. Once I was naughty and got bubble gum coal, but it tasted good.
Reporters: Tyler Fetzer, Amber McLaughlin, Amber Stoor, Tiffany Harrison, Cathryn Smith, Kathrine Langedyke.
Grace Mayor Kelly holt was sworn in as a new member of the Caribou Memorial Hospital and Living Center’s five-person board of directors at the Dec. 18 meeting by County Commissioner Lloyd Rasmussen. Holt will complete the term of Val Isle who was transferred to Boise. Holt is the hydro production manager for Utah Power and Light. He has lived in the Grace area with his family for the past 27 years. Also sworn in at the meeting for a three year term was Jon Goode, CPA, of Soda Springs, who has been serving on the hospital board for the past year.
CNA graduates: Yvonne Settles, Krista Skinner. Amy Dimick, Jason South, and Jason Taylor. Hospital R.Ph and Living Center administrator Dell Maughan took part in the graduation. All of the recent graduates passed the exam given by ISU.
The big issue for the upcoming legislative session, according Senate Pro Tem Robert Geddes, R-Soda Springs, will be the surplus—projected as high as $300 million by some. With that kind of money, there won’t be any lacking for ways to spend it. Sen. Geddes said there is a surplus of $100 million to date. “The rest is in projections to the end of June. I can see signed of a little weaker economy and we need to be cautious.” Geddes said he was hearing talk about tax reductions in the personal income tax. Last year, the legislature approved .1 percent reduction with a sunset to take that reduction off the books after a year. The senator feels that reduction may be made permanent. Another tax cut being discussed is reducing corporate tax from 8.2 percent, which is a little higher than the rest of the western states, to just below 8 percent in order to attract businesses. “People and corporations want to locate in Idaho. We have good work forces, beautiful scenery, all the amenities, but the tax rate puts us out quickly on the screening process,” Geddes said.
Tom Westre reported that “This time of year, Christmas evokes family gatherings, a warm fireplace, and for many of us, too much to eat. This year will bring us all these things and more. If you are willing to leave the warmth of your fireplace for the chill of December, you can watch some great celestial shows in the December skies. If the skies are clear, most of North America will get to see a partial solar eclipse on Christmas morning. The eclipse begins along the West Coast, where the sun rises in eclipse. From Caribou County we will see about 40 percent of the sun covered by the moon. Mid-eclipse should be around 9:45 a.m. on Dec. 25. Watching the eclipse can be dangerous, because the sun’s brightness is only partially reduced by the moon’s presence. One of the best filters is a #14 arc welder’s glass. Avoid sunglasses, smokes glass, exposed black and white or color film. Although all of these items limit the amount of visible light, they do little to stop infrared radiation and are a sure way to permanently damage the eyes.
1970
Growth, improvement, and greater usage describe the 1970 telephone statistics of Mountain Bell in Soda Springs. Soda Springs now has 2,162 telephones which is a gain of 132 over year end 1969, according to telephone manager K.E. Pollard. The local telephone office has added lines and equipment to bolster its facilities for present and future needs, Pollard said.
Specials this week at Lallatin Food Town include:
Pot Roast 49 cents a pound.
Morrell’s Pride Bacon 59 cents a pound.
Lay’s Potato Chips 59 cents.
Cream Cheese 39 cents.
Cucumbers 2 for 19 cents.
Quart size Soda 8 for $1.
Deveined shrimp 69 cents can.
Roundup of News from Bancroft: George Hulse, stationed with the U.S. Army in Colorado Springs, CO, arrived home Wednesday to spend Christmas with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Grant Hulse.
Mr. and Mrs. Ted Barnes and daughter Kristi went to Malad Christmas Day and spent it with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Illum. They returned home that evening.
Mr. and Mrs. Darrell McLain spent Christmas Eve and Day in Soda Springs with their daughter and family, Mr. and Mrs. Don Hamp.
Mr. and Mrs. Blaine Priestly and three children, Katie Jensen, Mr. and Mrs. Burt Barfuss and son, Danny, had Christmas dinner and spent the day with Mr. and Mrs. Leland Barfuss.
Mr. and Mrs. Leland Mickelson, Marva, Ireta, and Terrie and Maggi O’Brien, Mr. and Mrs. Joel Simons and children spent Christmas Eve at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Banks and children, where they had a family hour.
