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.
The Soda Springs Library hosted the “Crazy Love Duo” on June 5, 2025. The multimedia show featured a travelogue of Idaho locations and art. Photo courtesy of crazyloveduo.com
1991
Max Hughes, president of the Soda Springs Gold Club, started out the May 7 Soda Springs School Board meeting by asking the trustees to consider adding a gold program to the high school athletic program.
He stated they have a very good “teaching” pro at the golf course right now. The program would be for both boys and girls.
The trustees discussed the issue of adding more athletics to the high school curriculum. Chairman Richard Hydzik wanted the person requesting the program to first go through the athletic director to see what the scheduling and finances would be before coming to the school board. The athletic director would know how it would impact the other programs at the school.
The trustees had a deep concern about all extra-curricular activities encroaching on learning time, for students and teachers. More children out of class means the basics might have to be retaught.
A public discussion of more extra-curricular activities will be addressed at a future board meeting.
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Tom Phelps, Soda Springs, is retiring from Nu-West Industries after 33 years of service in the phosphate fertilizer industry in Southeast Idaho.
Phelps, after being in the service from 1943 to 1945, worked as an electrician and a mechanic at the Ford garage, In 1958 he began work for Central Farmers up Georgetown Canyon and helped move the plant to its present location at Conda.
From 1964 to 1968 he worked as a maintenance supervisor for El Paso, which was a subcontractor for Ref-Chem, who bought Central Farmers. The from 1968 to 1970 he worked as a maintenance supervisor for Mountain Fuel Supply, who bought it from Central Farmers. Mountain Fuel Shut down from 1970 to 1972 and Phelps worked for Soda Springs Elevator during those years.
In 1972 Beker purchased the plant from Mountain Fuel and Phelps worked as a maintenance supervisor. In 1974 he moved into the Planning and Scheduling Department. Later that year, he was promoted to Maintenance Superintendent, where he worked until Beker shut down in 1986.
Nu-West Industries bought the plant and Phelps was Maintenance Superintendent until his retirement.
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Many awards were presented to the members of the Grace Chapter of FFA at the awards banquet on May 3. The officers for the upcoming year were also introduced.
Connie Jorgensen was inducted as a Honorary Chapter Farmer. She has been active in FFA since she was a freshman at Grace High School. She has held numerous offices in the chapter and was district president and state reporter. She is a member of the USU Collegiate FFA Chapter, Block and Bridle Club, ATA, and serves as the executive secretary for the College of Ag Council. Connie is a sophomore at USU, majoring in agricultural education, minoring in Biology.
Having recently completed an internship with Farmers Home Administration, she plans on teaching agriculture to junior and high school students following graduation.
Those receiving proficiency awards were LeeRoy Jones for wildlife management and prepared public speaking, Michael Tingey, placement on Ag production, Wendy Jorgensen, horse proficiency, Clint Panter, beef production, Amanda Crump, dairy production, David Wheeler, fruit and vegetable, Wendy Jorgensen, home and/or farmstead improvement, Cody Spencer, Ag Mechanics, and Heidi Turner, sheep.
David Wheeler was selected as star greenhand, Amanda Crump, honorary star farmer, and LeeRoy Jones, star ag businessman.
Heidi Turner was presented with a certificate for ag accomplishment from DelKal for her work in FFA.
Idaho pins were presented to Bridget Gibson, Guy Robbins, Tony Sharp, David Wheeler, Clint Panter, Kyle Christensen, Jake Barthlome, Mandi Humphreys, Mike Olsen, Tyler White, Justin Panter, Bryan Jorgensen, Michael Tingey, and Amanda Crump.
Second year bars were given to Michael Tingey, Amanda Crump, Cody Bredehoft, Clint Panter, and Bridget Gibson.
Third year bars – Brin Andreasen, LeeRoy Jones, Wendy Jorgensen, and Heidi Turner.
Fourth year bars – Nephi Gibson, Jeremy Holt, and Cody Spencer.
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Stephanie Bailey reported: “Congratulations to Lori Grosland who was selected as Idaho’s representative to America’s Homecoming Queen contest. She will be representing Idaho in in Hawaii this summer.
Congratulations to the following BPA winners at Nationals: Erica Prescott, 3rd shorthand; Marc Young, proofreading and merit scholar; Tiffany Olney, honorable mention information processing; Michelle Aubrey, honorable mention prepared verbal.
Congratulations to the new cheerleaders. Varsity – Tiffany Jolley, Cece Craner, Megan Smith, Katrina Allen, Allyson Swain, and Hayley Phelps. Junior varsity – Courtney Hopkins, Cindy Walters, Rachel Hoggan and Jamie Norman. Mat Maids – Shanda Winward, Alyson Bailey, Teresa Cloe, and Terah Jones.
May 17 class officer elections will be held. The candidates for president are Anthony Dominquez and Mindy Smith; VP Tammy Toomer and Shanda Winward; secretary Ashley Kowallis. Junior President Matt Dredge and Suzie Wood; VP Heidi Hubbard, Mindi Meyer and Hayley Phelps; secretary Misty Cellan and Megan Smith.
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Eastern Start Installs Officers:
Duane and Lela Rice, former Soda Springs residents now of Brigham City, Utah, were installing officers for public installation of officers of Golden Rod Chapter 64, Order of Eastern Star, held at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 27, at the Masonic Hall in Soda Springs.
Prior to the installation, Job’s Daughters presented a homecoming ceremony honoring Sharon Short, Grand Esther of the Grand Chapter of Idaho, and accompanied on the piano by Veda Mascarenas, sang “If We Hold on Together.”
The Rices, assisted by LaVanda Lallatin, Vicky Filey, and Veda Mascarenas, conducted the installation ceremony for the following new officers: Sharon Shorth, Worthy Matron; Grant Nelson, Worthy Patron; Lila Nelson, Associate Worthy Matron; Gary Lemarr, Associate Worthy Patron; Connie Squires, Conductress; Robbie Lemarr, Associate Conductress; Charlene Corbett, Ruth, Grace Blatter, Esther, and Frank Hernandez, Sentinel. Retiring Worthy Matron is LaVanda Lallatin. Job’s Daughters sang “One Moment in Time,” after which the officers were honored at a reception in the social hall.
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1976
Some 322 walkers went through the first check point during Saturday’s March of Dimes Walkathon.
According to Willard Higley, chairman of the Walkathon, the pledges to the walkers will amount to about $10,000. The amount raised in last year’s walk was $8,000.
The shortest time to complete the 20-mile walk was turned in by Clay Hall, a senior at Soda Springs High School. He covered the distance in 2.5 hours.
The youngest person to complete the entire 20 miles was Colleen Keele, five year old daughter of Thayne and Marie Keele of Grace. The walk took her 7.5 hours and did it with five stitches in her knee.
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“Clean-Up Week Proclamation:
I, Milton B. Gambles, Mayor of the City of Soda Springs, Idaho, do hereby proclaim the week of May 17 to May 21 ‘Clean-Up Week in Our City.’
It is hoped that each resident and civic organization will cooperate with the Mayor and City Council in beautifying our City by ‘Cleaning up, Fixing Up, and Painting Up’ their property, City parks and vacant lots.
PROVISIONS will be provided, starting May 17 through May 21 to follow the regular garbage route and will pick up all large objects, stoves, refrigerators, furniture or anything too large for packer truck. Items must be placed at the curb line the day of your regular pick-up.
DURING ‘CLEAN-UP WEEK’ the City of Soda Springs will pick op OLD CAR BODIES. Arrangements for pick up, without charge, must be made before cleanup week at City Hall. A FEE will be charged for any old car bodies hauled away after May 21.
A REMINDER that all trash must be out at 8:00 a.m. on regular pick up date. Please see that everything is bundled and packaged according to the City Ordinance.
I HEREUNTO SET MY HAND AN SEAL THIS 28TH DAY OF APRIL, 1976.”
Milton B. Gambles, Mayor.
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County Clerk Elaine S. Johnson:
“For the first time in the State of Idaho, a Presidential Preference Primary Election is being conducted on May 25.
Every registered voter of Idaho will be eligible to vote for the party nominee of his choice for President of the United States. The party’s state conventions will then choose delegates to the respective national conventions, according to the vote of the people in the primary. These Idaho delegates will then join delegates from the rest of the nation to choose the party’s presidential nominees for the November general election.
Note the above paragraphs, “every registered voter.” County Clerk Elaine S. Johnson encourages all those who are not registered yet to do so soon. There are registrars located in each of the ten county precincts and she suggests you register there, if possible.
Precinct Registrars are: Grace 1 – Mrs. Gettys Sorensen; Grace 2 – Mrs. D.H. Lloyd; Bancroft – Mrs. Theil Parker; Soda Springs 1 – Mrs. Douglas Jack Christensen; Soda Springs 2 – Nan Lee Wallace; Soda Springs 3 – Nathel Lau; Soda Springs 4 – Mrs. Kenneth Chatterton; Conda – Mrs. Dwaine Ingram; Wayan – Mrs. Odell Stoor.
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The Bicycle Safety Program – started with ‘Hobo the Bicycle Safety Clown’ coming to town. Hobo was in Soda, Grace, and other County Schools recently. At this time the Safety Clown taught all the children in our area in a very special fun program all about laws, condition of bikes, how to buy the size of bike needed and how students were given a test for bicycle safety.
The first phase of the Bicycle Safety Program will take place at then Idaho Stake Center in Soda Springs on June 12. Last year, 140 students took part in the bicycle safety program. The purpose of the program is to teach every cycle enthusiast how to take care of his bike, what the law says about bicycles, and how to ride a bike.
Ponderable:
On our Facebook page (Idaho Enterprise Caribou County), I asked what public event people would love to visit from the last 100 years if they had a time machine. I went with a Harry Houdini show or watching the Moon Landing at a barber shop, but here is some of what you said:
“I would choose the March on Washington. To be able to listen to Martin Luther King Jr. give his I have a dream. Speech in person would be remarkable. I also 100% firmly agree with what those individuals were fighting for. A few years ago, I attended the national African-American history Museum in Washington DC. One of the exhibits was a counter for a restaurant in the 1960s. It played videos of things that happened in the restaurant in the south. I was moved by the struggle, but more moved by the perseverance,the hope, the grit and the sheer determination of the individuals that set those counters. They sat at those counters not because they were fearless, but because they feared what would happen if they didn’t I wonder if we’ll ever see that kind of greatness again in my lifetime but I know *Now more than ever we could use individuals that are not afraid to stand up for what is right and for the rights of others.”
--Dorajo Messerly
“November 9 1989 witness the Berlin Wall torn down, ending the cold war. Tears of joy from years of isolation between family members.”
--Elizabeth Call
Check our FB page for a new question this Wednesday.
