Enterprise
Caribou County
The Idaho
Caribou County's Newspaper Since 2024
Caribou County, Idaho
December 4, 2025 | Vol. 2 No. 49
$1.50
NEWS IN BRIEF Three Teens Survive Crash in Cache County
Downtown Bancroft was awash in lights as Teuscher Square was lit for the season. The annual event is a community tradition.
“The Community is what makes it happen!” Mayor LuCus Spencer spent his last December presiding over the Teuscher Square Lighting as mayor, but it’s not a tradition he has any plans of missing in the future. “Oh, I’ll be here next year! My kids come down here every year. We’ve been doing this ever since we moved here…seventeen years ago. It’s a great thing for the community that everyone looks forward to.” It was a sentiment that was echoed by many of those gathered around the burn barrels throughout the square on an incredibly brisk late fall evening. “We get a lot of volunteers, but it’s also a lot of city workers that volunteer their time,” Spencer said. “We got the people running around in costumes—I’m not saying high school kids—but they just come and have a ball with it, because they get to come and be kind of like a Santa Claus handing out candies and stuff.” City Clerk Debbie Swensen added that “our volunteers who stepped in made all the difference in keeping the hot cocoa running and things moving.” Jason Perkins, for instance, provided the music. “We feel fortunate to have him come and put on our music. The fact that he comes in to our little town and puts this on is amazing,” Clerk Swensen said. She also noted the amazing cooking of LaRue Workman, who desserts are always
a huge hit (spudnuts and cookies— sugar cookies and ginger snaps). City Councilwoman Jessica Thurman served food in full crown and sash. Mrs. Lish’s class decorated one tree for about an hour. The employees of the city do all the other decorating. “People just stepped in and helped, and it was amazing. Jyll Kern from Soda Springs jumped in and helped me served. Having all the volunteers made a big difference,” Swensen said. Mayor Spencer agreed, and talked about some of the other volunteers from inside town and out. “It’s an awesome community event where everybody gets together. This year with Caribou Memorial and the Fire Department coming in and doing the hotdogs and hamburgers for the fundraiser, you couldn’t ask for a better turnout with the people and them being able to come and help us—it’s been awesome!” The Lighting of the Square is one of the singular events of the year in Bancroft, and also the surrounding county. This year volunteers came from Soda Springs, Grace, and other parts throughout the county. Assistant Fire Chief Travis Krebs from Grace was one of the volunteers cooking food for the visitors. “Well, after some pretty devastating fires last summer that we are glad we were able to assist on, we just had
the idea to support the community and do something to help. We grill burgers all the time over there, so we said we’d do it for whatever activity they wanted, and they chose this. We thought it would be great to show some community support between us, so we came right over,” Krebs said. The Fire Department was joined by members of the Grace Chamber of Commerce as well. “Most everything we do is kind of tied in with the Chamber or Commerce. The Fire Department is community outreach in a lot of ways, and so we join up with the Chamber a lot.” Grace Chamber members Caribou Medical Center were also part of the countywide support. “We love doing this stuff,” CMC’s Dillon Liechty said, from his customary place at the grill. “The hospital’s just been awesome to provide the food and help out and It’s all of use coming together here,” Krebs said. The hotdogs and hamburgers were donated by CMC and the Grace groups and cooked “for donations.” According to city officials, they were able to raise more than they even expected, and will be using those funds to help rebuild the Volunteer Fire Department in Bancroft. As a result of TEUSCHER On Page 2
Community Thanksgiving feeds a large crowd The second Community Thanksgiving meal was held on the day itself at the Caribou County Senior Center. The event’s organizers were hoping to keep a low profile, and we will honor their wishes, but it’s safe to say that many people involved in the event have a good idea who to thank. Volunteers filled both the kitchen and dining room, not to mention the delivery vehicles that drove out countless packed meals to those who had signed up for them. The meal itself was cooked and prepared largely in the Senior Center kitchen, which donated the space and facilities. Turkey was the centerpiece of the meal, along with potatoes, gravy, stuffing, salads, vegetables, and an amazing selection of pies. According to volunteers, the number of meals prepared and served this year was much higher than last year. Despite the added attendance, which
This year’s community Thanksgiving meal served even more people than last year and was a huge success!
the organizers were thrilled by, there was only a minor delay as more potatoes were peeled and mashed, and more stuffing was…stuffed. Folks from all around the area came in throughout the meal—some to volunteer, some to donate, some to see what was happening—but ul-
timately everyone came together to eat in the same place and time, which is really what a day like Thanksgiving is all about. Everyone involved with the Community Thanksgiving meal should be proud of how it went, and the community it created!
IN THIS EDITION Memorial Tree Lighting.........................Pg. 2 Social Dance Club................................Pg. 3 Morristown............................................Pg. 4
Community Notes................................Pg. 5 Obituaries.......................................... Pg. 11 Sports................................................Pg. 12
Families of three teens who survived the Cache County crash that killed two others are sharing updates on their conditions through online fundraisers, describing long recoveries and medical needs. A GoFundMe for Braxton Miller, a junior at Mountain Crest High School and a member of the Mustangs football team, says he was ejected from the vehicle and suffered serious injuries. Friends wrote that Miller broke his cheekbone, fractured several ribs on both sides and required emergency surgery on his spleen. He remains in critical condition at McKay-Dee Hospital but is stable, according to the fundraiser. Another teen, Kaycin Nielsen, was flown to Primary Children’s Hospital in critical condition after the crash, according to a separate fundraiser. His family says he was stabilized the next morning and later transferred to University of Utah Hospital for surgery on a crushed pelvis. Supporters wrote that Nielsen has been responsive as sedation wears off, but he faces “a long road ahead” after losing two close friends in the crash. A third teen, identified as Thalia, also remains hospitalized after being life-flighted to Primary Children’s. A fundraiser shared by her family says she underwent surgery after arriving and is expected to need multiple additional procedures. Her mother has been staying at the hospital full-time as Thalia continues intensive treatment. All three fundraisers ask for community support to help cover medical expenses, travel and the financial strain on the families as the teens continue to recover.
Event Center Open House Dec 4 Caribou County residents are invited to step inside the community’s newest gathering space as the Caribou County Event Center hosts a ribbon cutting and open house Thursday, December4 th. Guests will be able to walk through the reception area, offices, meeting rooms, as well as ambulance and fire bays. Dinner will be served and the event is free and open to the public. Please stop by beginning at 4:00 p.m. to look around and celebrate this new addition to Caribou County!