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.
Soda Springs HS sent a dedicated team of students and teachers to last year's Construction Combine in Pocatello.
2021
The Farm Workforce Modernization Act, a bill coauthored and sponsored by Congressman Mike Simpson, passed in the house of Representatives with a strong bipartisan vote of 247-174. The bill, which was first introduced in 2019, would provide agriculture workforce stability by allowing current workers that ability to get right with the law and reforming the H-2A visa program to provide more flexibility for employers.
“I am proud to sponsor the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, which will provide much-needed relief for farmers in Idaho,” Simpson said. “Workforce uncertainty in eastern Idaho hurts both producers and consumers alike, and this bill sets us on the right path towards stabilizing rural economies, and discouraging illegal border crossings. Simply put, this bill is good for agriculture, good for Idaho, and good for our country and I look forward to working with my colleagues in Congress to get it signed into law.”
“The Act gives year-round agricultural employers, like dairymen, access to a visa program for the first time,” said Rick Naerebout, chief executive officer of the Idaho Dairymen’s Association. “The reality is that the dairy industry is heavily dependent on a foreign-born workforce, with 90 percent of our on-farm employees coming from outside the United Sates, despite competitive wages and prioritization of domestic workers. We applaud Congressman Simpson on his continued pursuit of this bipartisan solution that meets the need of Idaho’s dairy industry.”
“The FWMA is a necessary step in the process of having a stable, sufficient and skilled labor force to ensure that Idaho potatoes can continue to be delivered to consumers around the world,” Patrick Kole of the Idaho Potato Commission said.
The bill will establish a program for ag workers in the US to earn legal status through continued ag employment and contribution to the US ag economy; reform the H-2A program to provide more flexibility for employers, while ensuring critical protections for workers; establish mandatory, national E-verify system for all ag workers.
U.S. Senators Jim Risch and Mike Crapo joined U.S. Senator Mike Lee of Utah in introducing the Making Obligations Right by Enlarging Payments in Lieu of Taxes Act, or MORE PILT Act. This bill would direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study on federal lands eligible for PILT payments to determine the actual property value of the land and the foregone property tax revenues that counties would have otherwise received. “Every single county in Idaho relies on the PILT program to fund critical county services and compensate for the tax base lost to federal lands,” said Risch. “Unfortunately, these payments do not begin to make up for the actual revenue loss rural communities sustain. This legislation is a critical step to ensuring counties are made whole,” he added.
“PILT payment are critical to rural Idaho counties that rely on the funds for essential services like roads and law enforcement,” Crapo said. “The MORE PILT Act would better reflect the value of land in Idaho owned by the federal government, in turn meeting the ongoing needs of those counties. The pandemic has stretched local budgets even thinner, and continued improvement on the PILT program will help these areas obtain a more sustainable funding system.”
1991
Representatives from Monsanto Company’s Soda Springs plant gave an update on environmental issues and the business outlook to the Chamber of Commerce last Wednesday in Soda Springs. Ken Lott said there are two main issues regarding the environment—the Super Fund listing and the slag issue. Monsanto was placed on EPA’s Super Fund list for potential groundwater contamination. Kerr-McGee, FMC, and Simplot were also added to the list. Lott said the company in the past had used some unsealed ponds at the plant site and also had a leaking vessel that Monsanto found had caused contamination at the sure and one small area outside of it. They remediated the problems and have found steady improvement in the testing of the groundwater at the plant. Monsanto did not agree with EPA’s listing because the problem was taken care of and clean up was done by the company. “I don’t know what else we could have done,” Lott said about the numerous measures the plant took to correct the problem. He said he was not sure what the cost to the company may be, but a plant in Georgia that was names to the Super Fund list 10 years ago has spent $1.5 million in administrative costs to date and done no physical clean up yet. “It’s a tremendous expense the company has to bear,” he said.
The second environmental issue is that of slag and low levels of radiation coming from it. Slag has been used in the past on roads, some sidewalks, and in some cement work, including home foundations. The radiation levels in the slag, which is the left-over product from the company’s manufacturing of elemental phosphorous, is at about the same levels as is in the raw ore. Lott noted EPA in their recent study was concerned that the low levels could be a risk fir cancer, but said that the assumption comes from taking data from the atomic bombings in Japan and interpolating those extremely high dosage levels down to extremely low dosages—levels which have never been proven to cause cancer deaths.
He said recent hearings before the Science Advisory Board urged them to review the risk assessment and EPA’s recent study.
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The Southeast Idaho Council of Governments/Area Agency on Aging has established Community Councils for Aging Resources in Soda Springs and Lava Hot Springs. The council are comprised of local community leaders who are committed to improving the quality of life for the elderly population. The council’s purpose is to address specific service needs and determine how the community’s resources can pull together and respond to those needs. The council is led by SICOG/AAA staff Sister Anthony Marie Greving and Judi Robinson. The Soda Springs Council members are Bart Conlin, Don Harding, Pastor Doug Robinson, Marie Robinson, Dell Maughan, Susan Yost, Mark Steele, Blynn Wilcox, Arlene Smith, Michael Peck and Roland Smith. Members of the Lava Council are Buddy Campbell, Joan Bocek, Sheldon Jones, Sheryl Doyle, Mike Doyle, Wally Whitehead, Elma Schultx, and Leah Wiseth.
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George Reed of Blackfoot, Lions district governor for 39E was honored guest of the Soda Springs Club at the March 21 dinner meeting held at the Enders. Lion Kevin Keller conducted the meeting. The district governor, another district officer and their wives were guests for the evening, as well as Cecil and Winifred Alldaffer. Reed stressed the need for increased membership and talked on the Lion’s Sight program. Immediate past president Mike Lauman conducted the meeting. Accountant Gerald Brown was guest speaker and gave an explanation of rules and procedures required for income tax reporting and an overall presentation on other taxes relevant to the group.
1976
Folk musician Gordon Lightfoot will present a concert in the Idaho State University Minidome at 8 p.m. Thursday, April 22. “We’re going to be seating on the north side of the Dome for improved acoustics and a better view of the stage,” said Bert Hansen II, the ISU Program Board publicity chairman. “The Minidome is sponsoring this concert,” he added. In Blackfoot tickets can be obtained at Block’s and Brown and Gesas. The ticket outlet in Twin Falls is the Music Center. According to a reviewer for the San Francisco Examiner, Lightfoot is “…the supreme contemporary folk singer…there is no better concert evening in contemporary folk.”
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Recipes to be entered in the State Division of the National Beef Cook-Off must be in to Mrs. Kathleen Hayes, Rockland, by April 15. The Idaho recipes will be evaluated by a panel of competent experts and the winner selected. The State CowBelles will pay expenses to the National Contest for the recipe entrant that is chosen for Idaho. Rules for AMERICAN NATIONAL CowBelles beef cookoff include:
-The National Beef Cook-Off is conducted by the American National CowBelles, Inc. for the purpose of featuring beef recipes, understanding cuts of beef, and promoting the beef cattle industry.
-The contest will include a contestant from each state. Contestants need to be 21 years of age or older, and not have professional status.
-Any Beef dish using chuck, round, rump, or brisket may be entered in the Cook-Off program. It must contain a minimum of two pounds of beef and no more than six pounds.
-Garnishes with the dish are permissible. Accessories such as place mats, flowers, figurines, etc., are not allowed.
-The contestants are responsible for furnishing all ingredients, garnishes, and cooking equipment. Ranges will be provided.
First prize is $1000; second $500, and third $250. The National Cook-Off will be held in Slat Lake City on September 16 and 17, 1976.
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On Monday, April 5, the Christian Education Committee met to continue work on plans for the summer. Coming up are Bible School, a Talent Show, and Youth Sunday. With springs comes housecleaning and the ladies have begun to give the church its shine for spring. On Tuesday, the Ruth Circle “house cleaned” the sanctuary while Dorcas Circle worked on the Annex. Mary Anna Circle will be in charge of cleaning the rest of the church building. There will be a variety of Easter Services in the coming days. Maundy Thursday Communion Services will be held on April 15, Union Good Friday Services at the St. Mary’s Catholic Church, and Easter Sunrise Services at the Presbyterian Church, with choirs presenting special music at the Easter Worship service.
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Girls from Grace High School went to Twin Falls Wednesday to attend the annual State FHA Convention and compare notes and achievements with other FHA. Cathy Carter was elected State Vice President, and Jill Johnson was elected Historian for District 5. Those attending the convention were Jill Johnson, Sophomore; Cathy Carter, Sophomore; Tracy Conlin, Junior; Susan Miles, Freshman, and Diane Stevens, Freshman. Their teacher Pam Westerberg also accompanied them.
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The FBI is borrowing the theme of draft board posters, which displayed a drawing of Uncle Sam pointing, and saying “We Want You.” The FBI is looking for clerical and special agent applicants, both men and women. The FBI is particularly interested in recruiting those from groups typically not represented by the agency in past years. Requirements from becoming a special agent are varied depending on the individual’s degree, work experience, and background. Applicants must be citizens of the US who have reached their 23rd but not their 35th birthday; graduates of state accredited resident law schools or graduates of a resident four-year college with a major in accounting. Other individuals with four-year college degrees who have had three years of specialized experience of a professional executive or complex investigative nature will also be considered. All have to be in excellent physical condition. Anyone with language ability will also be considered, particularly those fluent in Chinese, Russian, Spanish, or Arabic.
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Utah Power and Light Co reminded parents of important safety rules to be followed when their children send their kites skyward. UP&L superintendent for Preston Division, R.M. Bob Whitehead urged parents to be sure their youngsters observe these safety rules before flying kites:
-Always fly kites in plenty of open space and never fly kites near electric wire and poles.
-Always use dry string, not wire of anything metallic.
-Always fly kites on days when there is no rain. Water is one of the best conductors of electricity.
-Always avoid streets and highways while flying kites.
-Always fly kites far away from television and radio aerials.
-Should a kite become entangled in electrical power lines, leave it there. Do not touch the string or in ay other manner attempt to get it down. Report and kites entangled in power lines to your nearest power company office.
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