Enterprise The Idaho
Caribou County
Caribou County's Newspaper Since 2024
Caribou County, Idaho
February 12, 2026 | Vol. 3 No. 7
$1.50
NEWS IN BRIEF
Team USA Shines — and Struggles — at the 2026 Winter Olympics
Degerstrom has made an enormous impact on Caribou County over the last fifty plus years. The repair of the courts at Soda’s City Park are one of the projects that they have helped with most recently.
N.A. Degerstrom leaves a legacy of giving back to the community
It was recently announced by N.A. Degerstrom that the company will be leaving the Soda Springs area after more than half a century as strong community members. According to a recent release from company representatives, “N.A. Degerstrom has been a part of the Soda Springs, Idaho, community for 55 years, providing contract mining services. We have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know so many who worked for and with us over the years. As we conclude our services in Southeast Idaho, we wanted to express our appreciation and gratitude to so many who have been with us along that journey. In addition to just saying thanks, NAD has donated funds and partnered up with other local organizations in the area to support non-profit organizations in the surrounding communities that we feel will continue to help so many.” These groups include: The City of Soda Springs – Ledger Creek Trail System. Land donated by Nutrien. At the meeting of the County Commissioners on Monday, mayor Paul Gritton and Director Dan Squires established a Memorandum of Understanding with the County to begin planning for the sand to be hauled to
the trail system, which should become another amazing asset to aid in the health of the community, and bring people outside to enjoy it. The Soda Springs Parent Teacher Organization at Thirkill Elementary. A recent donation to the PTO from N.A. Degerstrom will allow them to maintain and even add to the annual events that the PTO finds add a lot of excitement to the lives of students at Thirkill. The recent Neon Nights event was able to be more ambitious than usual as a result, and PTO president Amanda Larsen expressed a great deal of gratitude for the planning cushion that the donation has given the organization. Caribou County Sheriff’s Office – Funds for a new Drug Dog, in partnership with Nutrien. The County will begin training a new K-9 officer soon for use in a range of law enforcement applications. The K-9 will be training throughout the next months with the city (who enlisted a new K-9 officer last year), and will be out on the beat before you know it. Friends of the Soda Springs Park. N.A. Degerstrom recently donated $7,000 toward the rebuilding of the basketball court at the City Park in Soda Springs. Their donation allowed
the Friends of the Park and the City to split the remainder of the construction costs for a re-do of the basketball courts, which should add to the Fourth of July festivities, among other things, dramatically this year. See accompanying article for more information on this donation. N.A. Degerstrom has also partnered with and donated to a number of other groups and causes, including Get Outside And Live (GOAL), Caribou Field Archers, Bear Lake Education Foundation – FFA program, the City of Bancroft – Partnered with LCR Crane and Transport/Morco Construction, and more. As representatives of N.A. Degerstrom said in a public facing post, “In our departure, we hope you enjoy the contributions, and we hope everyone remains safe and prospers well. N.A. Degerstrom has a bright future, and we invite you to follow us on Facebook to see the other amazing things we are doing and other job opportunities.” Representatives also expressed a hope to return to the area again sometime in the future, and advised that they would keep an eye out for future opportunities to do so.
The 2026 Winter Olympic Games continue to deliver dramatic results for the United States as athletes compete across multiple disciplines in the early days of competition. Team USA secured a mixed doubles curling final berth after Korey Dropkin and Cory Thiesse upset the Italian reigning champions 9-8 in a tense semifinal, guaranteeing at least a silver medal and a shot at gold against Sweden. In figure skating, U.S. competitors delivered standout performances, with Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea playing a key role in helping the American squad capture the Olympic team event gold. The spotlight also remained on alpine skiing, where Breezy Johnson captured Team USA’s first gold of the Games in the women’s downhill, narrowly edging out Germany’s Emma Aicher. The emotional triumph came amid a harrowing moment when skiing legend Lindsey Vonn suffered a severe leg injury in her own downhill run, underscoring the high stakes and risks of elite winter sport.
Seahawks Claim Super Bowl LX Title in Dominant Fashion
Sports & Culture — U.S. — In one of the nation’s biggest non-Olympic sports headlines, the Seattle Seahawks clinched their second Super Bowl title, defeating the New England Patriots 29-13 in Super Bowl LX. The Seahawks’ victory was highlighted by a powerful defensive performance that stifled New England’s offense and an MVP showing from running back Kenneth Walker III, who amassed 135 yards on the ground. Quarterback Sam Darnold also delivered a milestone performance with over 200 passing yards and a touchdown, capping a season of resilience and high expectations. It was a great day for Seahawks fans, and people who can’t get enough complaining about halftime shows, as there were at least three to complain about, including the Puppy Bowl (which seemed staged).
Guthrie kidnap drama continues
A donation to G.O.A.L. of Caribou County
Bear Lake FFA
Caribou County Sheriff’s office
Million Dollar ticket at Maverik
It was reported over the weekend that Soda Springs resident Mitch Peterson had been the winner of a 1 million dollar jackpot from a $50 lottery scratch ticket. The ticket was purchased in early January, and not a completely under the radar secret, though it was not official until it had been verified by lottery officials. “People were definitely talking about it,” store manager Kevin Sorensen said. “And a lot of people definitely came in to get scratch tickets after it got out.” Sorensen himself was contacted by Maverik representatives later in
Soda only has few gas stations, but one can be enough!
January, and in the meantime he has observed nothing by good will and
kind words for the winners. Mitch and Tasha Peterson are reportedly not particularly frequent lottery ticket buyers, which makes the win especially out of the blue. While the Powerball and Megamillions Jackpots tend to lead to spikes in ticket sales, the odds against winning one of them is astronomical. The odds of winning a million dollar scratch prize are not quite as long, but still an amazingly rare feat. Congratulations to the Petersons, and may their luck continue to be amazing whatever they have in mind for the future!
IN THIS EDITION Lions Club............................................Pg. 2 Legislative Updates..............................Pg. 3 Puzzles.................................................Pg. 5
Looking Back.......................................Pg. 7 Senior Athletes....................................Pg. 9 Sports...........................................Pg. 10-12
Nancy Guthrie, 84, was reported missing from her Tucson, Arizona home on January 31 and authorities believe she was taken against her will. Evidence at the residence — including blood matching her DNA — has strengthened that assessment. A multi-agency investigation is underway, led by the Pima County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI, which has established a 24/7 command post and is offering a $50,000 reward for information. Despite alleged ransom demands reported in the media, the FBI says it has not confirmed continued communication between the family and suspected kidnappers and no suspects or persons of interest have been identified. The Guthrie family has made emotional public pleas, saying they are willing to pay and urging anyone with information to come forward. One individual was arrested for sending a fake ransom note, but authorities caution that the legitimacy of other messages remains under review.