Enterprise
Caribou County
The Idaho
Caribou County's Newspaper Since 2024
Caribou County, Idaho
May 28, 2026 | Vol. 3 No. 22
$1.50
NEWS IN BRIEF
Evacuations follow chemical tank danger
Tracy Davis congratulates George Hulse after the coin flip.
“Flip a Coin”; Commission seat comes up heads In what almost everyone had a hard time believing, the race for County Commissioner from District 1 came down to a literal, rather than proverbial, coin toss. “I think I pounded the table – I could not believe it!” stated County Clerk Jill Stoor as she recounted the moment the election night tabulation came through. It was an experience shared by almost everyone who was watching the returns update on VoteIdaho.gov or a related site, and saw the numbers flash onto the screen. Current Commissioner Marty McCullough received the third most votes at 405, which was a surprise. But it was quickly followed up by the even more surprising numbers for the other two candidates: 469 and 469. George Hulse from the Bancroft area and Tracy Davis from Soda Springs had deadlocked at 34.92% of the vote. It’s one of those things that makes you take a pause, consider the incredible odds against such a thing happening, and then marvel at the universe’s capacity for surprise. One person – out of ALL eligible voters – would have had to do absolutely anything at all differently, and the tie would never have happened. If someone who didn’t vote had voted for one of the two at the top, there would
be a clear winner. If someone who did vote had stayed home, the numbers would have resulted in a clear leader. If someone who voted nonchalantly had made a different choice, all the dynamics would have shifted. If someone had changed their mind at the last minute, it would have affected everything. And so on to infinity. In any case, the reaction from many across the community – anecdotally and on a number of social media platforms – ranged from bemusement to anger. Most people had a hard time believing it was true. “I called the Secretary of State’s office, and yes, it’s true,” Clerk Stoor said. As a result of the phone call it was confirmed that state law (last updated in 1970) is the source of the rule. As Stoor explained, she doesn’t have the ability to change the laws governing elections, only to enforce them. It’s hard to believe that the issue hasn’t come up often enough to get fixed in the last fifty-five years. You’d think once would be enough. Amazingly a coin flip was also used to break a similar tie in Jerome on Tuesday as well. In any case, if legislation is the only solution it would likely see a lot of sup-
“100 Deadliest Days” begin
George Hulse
port from Caribou County, and likely anywhere that has been a part of such a process. The idea of a recount was widely mentioned, with most people being surprised to learn that it was not an automatic part of the process. It was suggested that automatic recounts are in place for municipalities above a certain population threshold, ELECTION On Page 3
Chesterfield opens for the season It was a busy weekend, as Caribou County filled not only with Memorial Day visitors coming or going from parks to the north and west, and families visiting local cemeteries to make sure they were decorated, but it was also the start of the official summer season for the Historic Chesterfield Townsite. As is the case every Memorial Day weekend, the townsite was opened up for a community lunch, dancing, an auction, and the official reporting for duty of summer tour guides. Chesterfield is one of the oldest maintained pioneer towns in Idaho, and includes a number of ongoing building restorations, most of them undertaken by descendants of the original settlers of the area. The homes, cabins, and buildings feature names familiar to the area such as Call and Holbrook, and many who share those names still make their homes in the area. Other summer tour guides come from the ranks of those who simply love the history and the area. Jill Furniss, for instance, is from the Blackfoot area. Through the circuitous nature of the way these things sometimes work, she was on a cruise when she met someone who had a connection to the Chesterfield area. Interested, she make her way down to see what it was like and ended up becoming a tour operator. At this point, she is now well-versed in the names and structures that make up the historical site, a place she loves to spend her time. She even found out she herself is a distant relation! While she won’t be a fulltime guide this summer, she was happy to help out during the opening weekend.
The Holbrook General store in Chesterfield
“I just love it here – it’s such a wonderful place!” Furniss said. Chesterfield is popular spot to visit for those interested in Idaho history, pioneer history, and the founding of Idaho towns by Mormon settlers in the nineteenth century. Due to its location, it isn’t exactly a place that people tend to randomly wander into, but that doesn’t mean they don’t. One family from Logan who ended up touring the site CHESTERFIELD On Page 3
IN THIS EDITION Museum openings................................Pg. 2 Election results by precinct...................Pg. 3 Puzzles.................................................Pg. 5
A major chemical emergency in Southern California forced the evacuation of roughly 40,000 to 50,000 residents after a large storage tank containing methyl methacrylate began overheating at a GKN Aerospace facility in Garden Grove. Officials warned the tank could rupture or explode, creating fears of a massive fireball and toxic chemical release across several Orange County cities. Schools closed, shelters opened, and firefighters worked around the clock to cool the unstable tank while preventing chemicals from reaching storm drains and waterways. Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency as hazmat crews monitored air quality and enforced evacuation zones. By Monday, authorities announced the immediate explosion threat had been reduced after pressure inside the tank dropped, though evacuation orders and safety concerns remained in place as crews continued stabilization efforts.
Community Notes................................Pg. 9 Graduations............................... Pgs. 10, 11 Sports.........................................Pgs. 10-12
The “100 Deadliest Days of Summer” is the name for the just-begun time between Memorial Day and Labor Day, when fatal crashes sharply increase across the United States. Safety officials say the combination of summer travel, more inexperienced drivers on the road, distracted driving, speeding, impaired driving, and lower seatbelt use contributes to the rise in deadly accidents. According to national traffic safety data, thousands of people are killed during this roughly three-month stretch each year, with teens both heavily represented in crashes and especially vulnerable as passengers. Law enforcement agencies across Idaho and the nation use the campaign to encourage safe driving habits, including avoiding phones while driving, obeying speed limits, wearing seatbelts, and never driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Officials also urge parents to set clear driving expectations for teens before summer travel and activities begin.
Tourism numbers being watched carefully
Tourism officials and economists are expressing growing concern about a projected decline in international travel to the United States this year, with some forecasts estimating millions fewer visitors compared to previous expectations. Industry groups say several factors are contributing to the slowdown, including a strong U.S. dollar that makes travel more expensive for foreign tourists, rising airfare and hotel costs, lengthy visa wait times in some countries, and concerns about political tensions and stricter border enforcement policies. Some travelers have also cited worries about safety, gun violence, and an increasingly complicated immigration process as reasons for choosing other destinations. The decline is especially concerning for major tourism-dependent cities where international visitors typically spend far more than domestic travelers, but states like Idaho and Wyoming that rely on international outdoor recreation tourism are also fearing the worst. Analysts warn the slowdown could cost the U.S. economy billions of dollars in tourism revenue and impact airlines, hotels, restaurants, and entertainment industries nationwide.