Caribou County, Idaho
May 2, 2024 | Vol. 1 No. 13
$1.50
NEWS IN BRIEF Texas Age Verification Law upheld
Representative Josh Wheeler, Senatory Mark Harris, challenger Doug Toomer, and Brett Skidmore speak to voters at the Caribou County firehouse on Saturday evening.
Candidates Speak to Voters in Caribou County
On Saturday, the Caribou County GOP hosted a slate of state and local candidates at the Caribou County Fire Station. Incumbents as well as primary challengers for state senate, one of the state representative seats, a county commission seat, sheriff, and coroner were all present to introduce themselves to the assembled voters, as well as make the case for why voters should choose them. County Attorney Doug Wood also joined the panel, although his race is not contested. Representative Kevin Andrus is also not facing a primary challenger, although he will face an opponent in the general election. Despite the inherently competitive nature of the event, the evening was governed by a genial and respectful atmosphere, which is certainly appreciated during the current political climate. While there were clearly some differences in approach and attitudes about many of the issues discussed between candidates facing off against one another, the importance of effective and
responsive government was on some level expressed by all the candidates. In both of the races for state-level positions, the incumbents faced newcomer candidates that could fairly be described as non-traditional in some sense. Brett Skidmore (running for House D27 Seat B) and Doug Toomer (running for State Senate D35) both come from backgrounds outside of politics, and are entering the elected political arena for their first times in the districts for which they are running. Skidmore is contractor from Ammon, who currently serves on the Idaho State Contractors Board, and Toomer is a retired (after a 40 Year career) INL employee, who founded the Stand Up for Idaho organization. Both of them had interesting stories to tell about what brought them into the race this cycle, and what things they hoped to accomplish if elected. The candidates’ positions and backstories are too lengthy to be recounted here, but for more information, vot-
ers can visit Brettskidmore.com and ToomerforIdaho.com to find out more. A more in depth look at the State Senate and House primaries will be coming in future editions leading up to the May 21 primary. District 35 State Senator and Caucus Chair Mark Harris and District 27 Representative Josh Wheeler both came to the table with experience in their positions and hands-on familiarity with the legislative agenda from the last session. Over the course of their tenures, both candidates have worked on a number of bills that affect residents of the county directly, and have demonstrated a facility with many of the legislative nuances involved in the processes of making legislation work (or sometimes not work, as they both bemoaned) within the context of an often frustrating state system of sometimes competing interests. Harris and Wheeler are both wellCANDIDATES SPEAK On Page 4
Lucky Stiff brings the laughs to Gem Valley Performing Arts Center Grace was treated to three days of comic delight recently in the form of the farce “Lucky Stiff,” a musical play based on the 1983 novel “The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo” by Michael Butterworth. Despite a number of unexpected events during the play’s run—including injuries, illnesses, and other unforeseen—the production was immensely entertaining, and a great showcase of local talents. Directed by Eli Hubbard, “Lucky Stiff” is his tenth production, and both the cast and the audience were the recipients of a nicely executed directing job, and, as Hubbard mentioned at the outset of the play, an impressive all around display of music, staging, lighting, costuming, rehearsal, and choreography know-how. The play itself has the pacing of a relatively modern production (it hurts to admit that the 80s and 90s are only “relatively” modern) in the sense that it moves at a quick clip and involves a number of quick transitions between sets. At times, the banter is also quick, which was nicely handled by the cast. As the central protagonists of the play, the romantic leads of Jack Mussler as bedraggled shoe salesman Harry Witherspoon, and Aleaha Medina as soft-hearted director of a dog charity Annabel Glick, stand as a reasonably calm duo around which the madcap events play out. Mussler did a great
The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to block a Texas law requiring pornographic websites to verify the age of their users. The justices rejected an emergency appeal filed by the Free Speech Coalition, a trade association for the adult entertainment industry. The provision of House Bill 1181, signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott, remains in effect even as the association’s full appeal is weighed by the Supreme Court. There were no noted dissents from the court’s one-sentence order. Similar age verification laws have passed in other states, including Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Oklahoma, Utah and Virginia. Similar laws have been discussed in Idaho for several years. Last year, a federal judge blocked the law’s age verification requirement and health warnings, finding that they likely violated the Constitution. But in March, a divided panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the age verification ruling.
Speaker Johnson gets help from… Democrats?
(CNN) House Democratic leadership announced Tuesday that Democrats would kill an effort to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson from his position, amid threats from Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and other hardliners. Greene suggested she will move forward with the motion to vacate Johnson in order to put members on the record. Johnson defended the fact that he needs Democratic support to remain in his job and that he did not request assistance from the other side of the aisle at a news conference shortly after Democrats’ announcement. “I have to do my job,” Johnson told reporters. “We have to do what we believe to be the right thing, what the country needs right now is a functioning Congress.” When pressed on if he would be comfortable relying on Democratic support to keep the gavel, he said, “You hope you have the support of everyone, the entire country.”
Yard Sign Thefts
Dominque Dumonaco (Kate Williams) and her dancers entertain the audience, as well as Uncle Tony (Landry Crane) and Harry Witherspoon (Jack Mussler).
job of reacting throughout the play, and Medina handled her role with an confident assurance. The vast majority of other characters, though, fell more comfortably into the madcap side of things. From a full range of character roles throughout the production to the lead antagonists, there was enough zany to satisfy almost anyone’s needs. As standouts, Shadrick Zulu as Vinnie Diruzzio and Trinity Corder as Rita La Porta did an amazing job inhabiting character roles that required
a lot of well-done physical characterization, as well as sustained accent and intonation skill. Corder’s use of her high heels to add an extra comic dimension to the proceedings was a great touch, and Zulu’s nebbish nervousness was infectious. Kate Williams as chanteuse Dominque Dumonaco was nicely done, as she did a great job capturing both the breathiness and goofiness that the role required, and commanding the most LUCKY STIFF On Page 2
INSIDE Community Notes..........................................Pg. 3 Obituaries.......................................................Pg. 3 Puzzles...........................................................Pg. 6
Real Estate Series........................................Pg. 7 Courthouse Arrowhead Collection..............Pg. 9 Sports....................................................Pg. 10-12
It has been reported that a number of campaign signs have been stolen from yards and other locations around the county. This is of course considered theft and potentially vandalism. Residents are reminded that both the law and general civil behavior prohibits the interference, destruction, or theft of property, including campaign signs. While temperatures may rise during election season, voters are asked to remain courteous and respectful.
DYW This Weekend!
Caribou County’s Distinguished Young Women Program will be held this weekend. Dress Rehearsal is Friday, May 3, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. at the Soda Springs High School Auditorium. Tickets are $5.00 per person and can be purchased at the door. The Program will be Saturday, May 4, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. at the same location. Tickets are $10.00 per person and can be purchased at Caribou Jack’s in Soda. These girls have been working hard for the program since January, and we hope to see you there at one or both days of the program!