Caribou County | March 12, 2026 by The City Journals

Caribou County's Newspaper Since 2024

Enterprise The Idaho

Primary Election coming into focus

The deadline for statewide races was February 26, and those candidates are set. The deadline for county and district officials is March 13, which is this Friday. There are often last minute filers for county level contests, so the complete candidate list won't be clear until next week. Early elections for primaries in Idaho begins on April 27. Here is what we do know as of press time: For Governor, the list is massive. Current governor Brad Little is seeing primary challenges from Republicans Daniel C. Fowler, Ethan Giles, Justin R. Plante, Lisa Marie, Mark Fitzpatrick, Ron James, and Sean Calvert Crystal. Democratic Candidates are Chanelle Torrez, Jill Kirkham, Maxine Durand, and Terri Pickens. From the Libertarian Party, the primary includes Paul Sand and Melissa-Sue Robinson. Jacob Burnett and John R. Stegner filed as Independents. The Candidate named Pro-Life is running as a member of the Constitution Party.

At the State Legislative level, there is one contested primary, with Chad Christensen filing to run for the 35 A seat against Mike Veile, who was appointed by the governor to replace Kevin Andrus last year. Democrat Walter Boyd has filed as well.

State Senator Mark Harris will face Democrat Marty Rotz Kilhefner in the general election in the fall, and Josh Wheeler, 35B, will face Mary Kaufman (D).

At the County Level, as of Tuesday morning, Tracy Davis has filed for the primary against sitting county commis-

sioner Marty McCullough in the First District. Bryce Somsen is up for election in the Second District, without a primary challenger at the beginning of the week.

Additional filings for county offices are also uncontested at present, and include County Clerk Jill Stoor, County Treasurer Angie Mendenhall, Couty Assessor Aaron Cook, and County Coroner Casey Batterton.

Judges are non-partisan, but both current District Judge Cody L. Brower and candidate Aaron N. Thompson have filed for the District 6 Caribou A office.

The official deadline for filing is 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 13, and we’ll bring you a final list next week.

At the Federal level, U.S. Sen Jim Risch faces three Republican challengers. Risch, 82, is running for a fourth six-year term. The Republican was first elected to the seat in 2008 and now chairs the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He faces three Republican challengers in the May primary election: Denny LaVe, Joe Evans, and Josh Roy. In announcing his re-election bid in an April 2025 post on X, Risch touted an endorsement from U.S. President Donald Trump.

U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo, a Republican serving his fifth term, is not yet up for re-election. His six-year term began in 2023.

U.S. Rep. Russ Fulcher faces two Republican challengers in Idaho’s 1st Congressional District. Idaho’s 1st Congressional District — home to

roughly 1 million people — splits Ada County, includes some of Boise and spans the state’s western border through the Idaho panhandle in the north.

U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson faces two Republican challengers. Simpson, 75, is running for a 15th two-year term. The Republican has represented Idaho’s 2nd Congressional District since 1999 and chairs the House Interior and Environment Subcommittee on Appropriations. He faces two Republican challengers: Brian Keene and Perry Shumway.

Idaho’s 2nd Congressional District — home to almost 1 million people — splits Ada County, includes most of Boise, and spans central and eastern Idaho.

Simpson has widely won re-election bids.

Most of the state wide races did not see contested primaries on either the D or R side of the aisle. As a result, Eric Myricks will be the Democratic challenger to current Lieutenant Governor, Republican Scott Bedke. Shawn Keenan (D) will face current Secretary of State Phil McGrane (R ); current State Controller Brandon Woolf (R ) will face Rakesh Mohan (D); Julie Ellsworth (R ) will face Kevin Jones (D) for the State Treasurer’s office; Lori Hickman (D) and Raul Labrador (R ) are running in the Attorney General’s race; and for Superintendent of Public Instruction, the candidates are Teresa Roundy (Constitution), Becky Sundin Mitchell (D_, and Debbie Critchfield (R ).

Accident on ice at Alexander Reservoir results in drowning death

A flurry of activity on the water over the weekend preceded the official word of a tragedy at Alexander Reservoir, where a brother and sister pair fell through the ice that had partially covered the surface of the water. The 34 year old male was rescued from the water and transported for medical treatment. His sister, Pamela Yazzie of Chinle, Arizona, was recovered later, though she did not survive. The pair were approximately 200 feet out onto the ice at the time they fell through, and the ice at that location was estimated to be around four inches thick.

The Caribou County Sheriff’s Office released the following statement on the incident:

“On Sunday March 8, 2026 , at about 2:52 pm, the Caribou County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Communication Center received a report that two individuals had fallen through the ice on Alexander Reservoir, approximately 2 miles east of Soda Springs.

Upon arrival Caribou County Sheriff’s Deputies observed that the individuals had fallen though the ice approx. 200 feet from the northern shoreline. Responding emergency personnel crossed the ice at great risk and pulled one of the victims out of the water and onto the ice and got him back to the shore across the unstable ice. The first victim was attended to by EMT’s and transported to Caribou Medical Center by Caribou County EMS for further treatment. The second victim had gone underwater as they were trying to remove the first victim from the water. Members of the

IN THIS EDITION

afternoon.

Sheriff’s Office dive team responded and a dive certified deputy entered the ice opening and located the second victim. The second victim was then removed from the water and moved to the shoreline where she was immediately treated by EMT’s and transported to Caribou Medical Center by Caribou County EMS. The first victim rescued from the water was a 34 year of age male from Arizona. The Second individual rescued from the water was a 27

Idaho Bill to repeal Medicaid expansion

After several legislative moves to punt decisions on Medicaid cuts this year, Idaho Republican lawmakers on Monday introduced a bill to repeal Medicaid expansion.

The bill would repeal Medicaid expansion on Jan. 1, 2028. That would remove roughly 90,000 Idahoans from the health insurance public assistance program.

In 2018, 61% of Idaho voters approved the policy through a ballot initiative meant to close a health care assistance gap that affected a population commonly called the working poor.

In the past, Medicaid expansion repeal bills haven’t gone far in the Legislature. But this year, state lawmakers are pushing for deeper, across-the-board state government spending cuts — including to Medicaid disability services — after approving years of tax cuts that have reduced the state’s revenue by more than $4 billion.

After a motion that would’ve rejected the bill narrowly failed, the committee introduced the bill. It could return for a public hearing soon.

Lawmakers delaying vote on Medicaid disability cuts is why the expansion repeal bill is here, committee chairman says.

In Gov. Brad Little’s budget plan, he proposed $22 million in Medicaid cuts that could come from a range of service reductions. But Medicaid expansion wasn’t on that list.

Last week, the House Health and Welfare Committee voted to shelve for a week a bill that would’ve cut nearly $22 million from a Medicaid disability service called residential habilitation. That delay was why committee chairman Rep. John Vander Woude, R-Nampa, asked Redman to bring the repeal bill, Vander Woude told the committee.

Foster Care Bill passes

The Idaho House of Representatives on Monday approved a bill that enumerates rights to safety for youth in foster care.

House Bill 724 establishes a “bill of rights” for the young people in the state’s care, such as to the rights to: Reside in a safe and healthy environment, Be free from physical, emotional and other abuse, Have “timely and appropriate medical assessments and forensic testing” when abuse is disclosed, Have access to basic essentials such as food, shelter and clothing, Obtain a court order to limit or restrict visitation if it places the child’s safety or wellbeing at risk.

The bill requires that those rights be explained to young people who enter foster care.

Bill sponsor Rep. Josh Wheeler, R-Ammon, said the bill “puts into statute some of the best practices.”

Multiple foster parents previously testified in favor of the bill during the committee hearing on March 5.

The House did not debate on Monday, and members voted 58-7, with five absent in favor of the bill. Reps. Joe Alfieri, R-Coeur d’Alene; Chris Bruce, R-Caldwell; Clint Hostetler, R-Twin Falls; Kent Marmon, R-Caldwell; Elaine Price, R-Coeur d’Alene; and Faye Thompson, R-McCall, voted against the bill. It now goes to the Senate for further consideration.

The ice just off the shore at Alexander Reservoir late on Monday

The deadline for county-level primary election filings is Friday, March 13.

Alexander Reservoir

continued from front page

year of age female from Arizona. The two subjects rescued were a brother and sister. The 27 YOA female was pronounced deceased at the hospital. The 34 YOA male was treated and is expected to recover.

The two victims had crossed the ice in an attempt do some fishing. The ice where the incident occurred was approximately 4 inches thick.

Agencies responding to the incident included, but are not limited to, the Caribou County Sheriff’s Office, the Caribou County Sheriff Search and Rescue team, the Caribou County Emergency Medical Service team, the Bear Lake County Sheriff Office/ Dive Team and the Air Rescue Helicopter from Burley, Idaho. We are also grateful for the professional emergency services provided by the Caribou Medical Center.

The Caribou Sheriff's Office offers our condolences to the friends and family of the victims of this ter-

rible accident.”

A “Polar Plunge” event had been planned at the same location for March 14th. In the aftermath of the tragedy, GOAL director Jim McCulloch announced that “GOAL is saddened by the tragedy that occurred yesterday (March 8) at Alexander Reservoir, and join our community in mourning the loss of life. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victim and her family, and all those who responded. In light of this heartbreaking incident, and to honor all involved, we have decided to cancel our polar plunge event planned for Saturday, March 14.”

There is no official regulation covering access to the ice or water based on weather conditions, but visitors to the reservoir and other local waterways are encouraged to exercise extreme caution as the temperatures shift.

Special recognition was given to Deputy Kolby Call and dispatcher Sheri Allen Rider by the Sheriff’s Office for their actions in response to the event.

Dear community, family, and friends, I write this post on the behalf of the family of Pamela Yazzie, who is my coworker and one of my best friends, did not survive from the tragedy that occurred this past Sunday in the Alexander Reservoir. As her family, friends, and myself are shocked and deeply saddened by the events we ask that the community not open a GoFundMe in Pam’s name. Her family is trying to get funding from her tribe (Navajo Nations) in Arizona, to do so if there’s a GoFundMe in Pam’s name they will disqualify her and won’t lend any funding to her or her family for the funeral services.

Right now our current goal is to get Pam home to Arizona.

The transportation fee is expensive and she’s being held at the Horsley Funeral Home in Malad, Idaho currently. The family has had many people reach out from the community asking to set up donations or a GoFundMe on Pam’s behalf for wanting to help but they don’t trust certain sites for this kind

of thing, rightfully so.

If you would like to donate to this grieving family, they have asked me to let my community know that you can call Horsley Funeral Home directly and send a credit or debit card amount over the phone with them personally, or you may send money to my personal Venmo, CashApp, or Zelle that I will be sending to the funeral home first and any left over I will be sending to the family directly for more funeral expenses. If you wish to do so anything will be greatly appreciated and I will attach mine and Horsley’s payment information below.

Thank you, Meieli McNee

Horsley Funeral Home: For Pamela Yazzie (208) 766-4330

Venmo: Meieli-McNee

CashApp: $MeieliMcNee

Zelle: Meieli McNee, memcnee424@gmail.com

Thank you for reading and sending your condolences, love, and support

Caribou County Commission Highlights, March 9

Sheriff’s Office—Deputy Russ Roper

Deputy Russ Roper spoke to the commissioners on behalf of the Sheriff’s Office. He discussed the events of the past Sunday, on which two people were pulled from the water at Alexander, and one of them did not survive.

“We rescued one person from the water and lost another,” Deputy Roper said. “Some great work was done by employees of this county.” Roper asked for permission for the use of letterhead, on which to present Officer Kolby Call with a Lifesaving award for his bravery during the rescue. Dispatcher Sheri Allen Rider “handled things perfectly,” according to Roper, and should also receive a commendation.

Justin Steele

Steele spoke to the commissioners about security at the courthouse. The way that prisoners are led into the courthouse involves some parking issues.

He would like to make the first handicapped slot next to the elevator be usable by emergency services and prisoner transport to the courthouse. This would limit the amount of time or distance that prisoners would need to use on the way into the courthouse for trial proceedings.

Jeff Godfrey Additions to the noxious weed list were discussed. The process of adding those weeds to the list requires action on the part of the county, including a public hearing in order to adopt them through an ordinance. A resolution would be another option, though it would not have any enforcement. Once the weeds are included, county and state resources can be used to combat them.

There will be a public hearing to add the two weeds in question to the noxious weed list.

Road and Bridge

Kevin McLain reported to the commissioners that one of the trucks was in in need of repair after running codes on it. It’s a 2017 MX13 model. Quote for repairs were $22K. The county can save on the cost by doing some of the work themselves, potentially up to half.

Cattle Guards were discussed. McLain has received bids for around $7,000, though he will continue checking for lower quotes.

McClain reported that the hauling of the silica sand for the Ledge Creek Trail project will start on Friday, and should include close to the amount that the city asked for.

McClain said that Bingham County would like to have some remote roads closed to prevent access during months when the conditions are dangerous. They suggested that they would put barricades at the point where the two counties meet to prevent access to Bingham County roads in order to prevent cost and liability for rescue and response operations during the winter months.

EMS--Eric Hobson

Hobson spoke to the commissioners about a grant that would allow for the installation of a radio repeater on Black Canyon. The Community Project Funding grant through Congressman Mike Simpson’s office was the source. Support letters from other agencies

and entities have been received. A resolution would add this repeater to the All-Hazard Mitigation plan. A quote is $520K for the project, which would largely be grant funded. The process involves a congressional hearing, which will determine what the county’s obligation to the cost would be. With the project, they are not allowed to do new construction. So they will be adding a 6 channel receiver into the existing Silver Star building and adding to the state network. Black Mountain is near Alpine.

Hobson then talked about a grant adjustment agreement for the AHMP. “Every time we submit for closeout, the Federal government shuts down,” Hobson joked. “If the government stays open long enough, eventually we’ll be able to get a payment.”

The state’s EMS SAVE grant, which comes partly from registration funds, required a letter of support from the commissioners to pursue. The grant helps secure an ambulance and gurney for a little over $300K. The county has four ambulances right now. This will be the fifth, and allow the oldest one to be retired from service.

Chris Banks

Banks shared an update on what the Conservation District accomplished in 2025. “A lot of what we do is driven by the Clean Water Act,” he said. According to Banks, the federal government gives about $1.8 mill to Idaho every year to administrate grant programs. A recent project involved a stock water system in Chesterfield. Tires have also been used to create troughs. They don’t rust, and can be easily repaired.

Other projects have installed a riparian buffer, cross fencing, and other grazing management initiatives.

The cross fencing splits pastures and fields to create grazing rotation.

Continuous fencing was put around a spring to prevent grazing access on that site.

Another project converted a ditch to a pipe., 4,600 feet. They came in under budget, and they will use it to install more pipe.

They have an upcoming project to discuss. It had been delayed as a result of overall federal funding delays. Across the road from Whiskey Mikes they are planning to start a stream bank stabilization project, which involves stream protection. A stream crossing also needs to be replaced.

“By way of a funding update, Bear Lake and Caribou County have done 35 projects, which has brought in $5.6million in grants.,” Banks said. “22 projects on the Bear River drainage have brought in $3.2 million, since 2014. We have awesome landowners in Caribou County. Your $15k is what allows these projects to keep going.”

Michael Blakey Blakey started a transportation service from Lava to Pocatello last year. He asked the commissioners whether there was a need for those services in Caribou County. They have been bringing people here from the Idaho Falls airport and other areas, and he’s trying to figure out his first couple steps.

“It’s a great idea,” Commissioner Somsen said.

“We do a lot of different things,” he said. “I’m usually in Lava twice a week, four times a day. I could add

coming here pretty easily for an extra thirty minutes.”

It would function like a taxi service while in town and a shuttle out of town. He has a fleet with a car, a van, and two busses. He just started the business last year in June. “I’m fresh, and I’m just trying to introduce myself to people.”

Helen Barker

Barker spoke to the commissioners about Parks and Rec department, and what the commissioners support would be for fixing up local parks. Fixing up the pump and existing restroom was discussed for Oregon Trail park. Barker plans to have the existing tables removed and replaced before the Fourth. The issue of who will be providing lawncare at the location was discussed.

In regards to Sucker Trap, she plans to remove the broken tables, fixing up the fencing, and doing something with the swing set. She doesn’t have a set budget for any of this yet.

At Oregon Trail, the stairs to the toilet need to be fixed, and the vents.

An irrigation/sprinkler system was also discussed.

There is $20K in the Parks and Rec budget that could potentially be used to this end.

Commissioner Somsen encouraged her to begin working on the projects with the budget funds. Some other upkeep/painting and improvement projects were mentioned for Freedom and other locations.

Barker noted that the pumphouse might be a bit of a challenge since the reservoir is still high. The pipes do get damaged by boats. Commissioner Somsen suggested that she contact RMP to see whether they were going to draw down the reservoir.

The commissioners expressed their support for Barker’s plans to work on repairing/improving the parks.

Rick Phillips, Galen Wilson, Coleen Benson, Alexis Metrone

Rick Phillips of Soda Springs spoke to the commissioners first. Gov. Little appointed him to the Idaho Historical Society Board for the state, and he appeared before the commissioners to talk about the Caribou Historical Society, and the state board. One of the projects of the state Historical Society is to coordinate with local governments on preservation. Alexis works for the State Historical Preservation Office (SHIPO). 59 total SHIPOs exist across the country. “With this funding comes an obligation that we have to ship out 10% of the funds we get to certified local governments,” Metrone said. Caribou County has been a CLG (Certified Local Government) entity certified with the department in the past, but Galen Wilson and Coleen Benson have been pursuing reinstating that relationship.

The county passed an ordinance to create the Historical Commission last meeting. A certification statement saying that Caribou County wants to be certified by the Park service will be part of the process as well.

Commissioner Somsen and Metrone spoke about the Section 106 process, which is invoked when federal land is involved.

There are 41 CLGs in the state of Idaho. Around half of them are counties. They prefer counties because of their farther reach.

This was described as a partnership,

where they would consult and provide access to grant possibilities. The checklist for commissioners to complete the application package for the CLG was discussed. They should be able to finish everything before the next grant cycle starts.

Tom Calton and Ally Schwulst Calton spoke to the commissioners representing a mapping company that does GIS mapping and consulting. He is located in Marsh Valley, and the company is close by for any needs. They are ready to pick up where Ally Schwulst has been working in the GIS system. They will not take over the Assessor’s mapping needs, as those are separately mandated. Schwulst is taking a position at another organization, and the contract will allow the county to maintain continuity in its GIS mapping and tech practices. “We feel like we can step in pretty quickly,” Calton said. The first couple weeks would involve working with Schwulst to transition the system, so that it could be fully moved over within a couple of weeks. GIS products are used by a number of departments within the county.

The Next Generation 911 system is the next biggest thing on the GIS horizon, according to Calton.

The commissioners felt that there was urgency in the need to transition to a GIS provider, with Schwulst set to leave the position. The commissioners accepted the proposal for services, and will sign the final contract as soon as it is available.

Dave Parkhouse

Parkhouse brought a zoning issue to the commissioners, involving the splitting and selling of property. He is looking to sell part of his property to a family member in the Blue Landing subdivision. It is possible to sell the property, however, it is below the 5 acre minimum. Chairman Mathews noted that he thinks it should not have been joined in the past.

The commissioners asked about whether there were HOA regulations that would affect the decision. Because it appears the original property plat has been altered, the commissioners were inclined to be open to resetting it to the original state in order to allow for the property split. The two parts have separate deeds, and were purchased separately. They have been combined for tax purposes, but not otherwise. The history of the property and its ownership was not immediately clear, but it was clear that it had been somewhat muddled.

A motion to allow the separation of the two parts of the parcel into its original lots at the Caribou Blue Landing subdivision was passed.

Kya Simmons Simmons is in charge of the Caribou County Website. Issues related to the site design and maintenance were discussed. Simmons presented a draft copy of a logo for the county for the commissioners’ approval. A motto was also discussed. There is currently not a motto, which the commissioners decided to maintain.

Doug Wood Wood spoke to the commissioners on behalf of the Lions Club. The county routinely donates to the DYW, and did so again to the tune of $1000.

Legislative Updates - Week Eight

Senator Mark Harris, LD35

The Idaho Senate started meeting twice a day this week to keep up with all the legislation flying out of our ten Senate committees.

One of the bills we considered this week on the Senate Floor was Senate Bill 1331 (S1331). S1331 passed the Senate on a razor thin vote of 18-17. This legislation is called the “Idaho Rescissions Act” that reduces FY 2026 appropriations across several state agencies. I voted “no” on this legislation because I do not agree with the way the cuts were implemented in the bill. A more balanced approach to implementing individual cuts could

have been used instead of the acrossthe-board cuts in the bill. An example of one of the cuts that I found concerning is a deduction of $73,000 that was taken from dedicated funds to the Idaho Brand Board. These dedicated funds are collected from livestock producers for the intended purpose of funding the Office of the Idaho State Brand Inspector. S1331 holds these funds and prohibits their use. S1331 is now in the House waiting to be heard. We will soon see whether the legislation will make it the Governor’s desk.

The Senate passed Senate Bill 1296 (S1296) this week. This is a piece of legislation that protects religious freedom by making it a misdemeanor of six months in jail if a person storms a church and disrupts services. This bill was brought after demonstrators

Representative Josh Wheeler

As we wrap up week eight of the legislative session, the pace at the Capitol continues to pick up. Bills are steadily moving through committees and the House floor while budget discussions are beginning to take clearer shape through the appropriations process.

One of the highlights of this week was the chance to celebrate Idaho Day on March 4th, marking the anniversary of Idaho becoming the 43rd state in the Union. It was a meaningful moment to pause and reflect on the unique character of our state and the people who make it such a remarkable place to live, such as former Representative Linden Batement, who recently passed away and was responsible for establishing Idaho Day. I was especially impressed by a local elementary school choir that performed both the Star-Spangled Banner and “Here We Have Idaho.” Their performance was a wonderful reminder that our state’s future is in very good hands.

On the policy front, several healthcare-focused efforts continue to move forward. On Friday morning I introduced an updated version of HB611, which I believe meaningfully advances the conversation about creating a healthier environment for Idaho’s medical providers while continuing to protect patients and maintain appropriate accountability. Healthcare professionals across Idaho have made it clear that administrative burdens are one of the biggest barriers to patient care. The goal of this legislation is to improve transparency and reduce unnecessary obstacles so providers can focus more of their time where it belongs—with

patients.

This work builds on other healthcare initiatives we’ve been advancing this session, including efforts to reform prior authorization processes and continue incentivizing medical preceptorships so Idaho can grow its own physician workforce. Ensuring that Idaho remains an attractive place for healthcare professionals to practice—particularly in rural communities—is one of the most important long-term challenges we face.

At the same time, many of the most significant conversations this year continue to revolve around the state budget. Appropriations are still moving through the JFAC process, and there is active debate about the best approach to managing current fiscal pressures. Some have advocated for broad, across-the-board reductions, while others—including myself— have emphasized the importance of precision. Idaho has built strong reserves through its budget stabilization funds, and thoughtful use of those tools can help us maintain critical services while still honoring our commitment to responsible spending.

One of the things I appreciate most about this job is hearing directly from constituents. Many of you have reached out recently to emphasize the importance of smart budgeting, maintaining critical services across the state, strengthening healthcare access, and protecting vulnerable children in foster care. Those conversations matter and help guide the work we do every day at the Capitol.

As always, I’m grateful for the opportunity to represent our district and will continue working to bring thoughtful, practical solutions forward as the session moves ahead.

Josh Wheeler

Idaho State Representative

crashed services at a church in Minnesota. We do not want that to happen and go unpunished in Idaho. This is a good bill that recognizes our “freedom of religion” as one of the special liberties that makes this nation great. I am a co-sponsor of this bill.

I presented Senate Bill 1355 (S1355) this week in the Senate Local Government and Taxation Committee. This bill creates a new exemption from Idaho’s subdivision requirements for land gifts or sales to immediate family members. It will allow landowners to gift or sell parcels no smaller than five acres to immediate family for housing, business, or agriculture needs without having to go through the subdivision process that can cost a family up to millions of dollars. There are some protective sideboards in this legislation that

would prohibit the sale of this land for at least five years. This is a private property issue that will help families and their heirs to build and stay in the communities where they were raised. I think it is good legislation that deserves discussion.

Finally, next week we should begin seeing maintenance budgets on the Senate Floor as the Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee (JFAC) begins to finish setting budgets in Committee.

As I’ve stated in the past, I am sincerely grateful for your input and support that helps me represent you in the Idaho State Senate. It is a true honor for me to serve you! You can contact me by email at mharris@ senate.idaho.gov or by phone at 208332-1429.

Representative Mike Veile

I would like to start by thanking my friends in Caribou and Bear Lake counties for their Lincoln Day events last Saturday. We were able to attend the Lincoln Day breakfast in Caribou County and then travel to Montpelier for the Lincoln Day lunch. The County Republican Committees did a great job hosting these events and celebrating our Republican values.

One value that has long been a hallmark of Republican governance is local control. This session I have voted against several bills because they stripped authority from local school boards, county governments, and even parents. In Idaho we strongly oppose when the federal government imposes mandates on our state without providing the necessary funding. We should honor that same principle when the state interacts with our local governments.

An example of this came up today with a bill that would mandate local law enforcement participation in the federal 287(g) program with ICE. Under this proposal, sheriffs in District 35 would likely be responsible for much of the cost of participation, including out-of-state training, travel, and per diem expenses. My “no” vote was based on the fact that the bill created a mandate on local law enforcement without providing corresponding funding. If the state truly wants to address illegal immigration through this program, the legislature should demonstrate that commitment by funding it rather than simply shifting the costs to local counties. I be-

lieve we could have done better. In education, there was also a proposal to eliminate the Idaho Digital Learning Academy (IDLA). IDLA provides online public-school courses that are used extensively throughout our state, particularly in rural communities. These courses allow schools to offer classes that may otherwise be unavailable, such as foreign languages, physics, and advanced writing courses. This program helps ensure that rural students have access to the same opportunities as those in larger districts. I voted in committee to stop that proposal, and it did not advance.

However, immediately following that vote we heard another proposal that would dramatically reduce IDLA’s funding and course offerings. I again voted against the proposal, but it was approved for introduction and will receive a formal hearing. This bill would cut funding to IDLA by roughly two-thirds. Given how widely and successfully this program is used across Idaho, I believe it remains a critical tool for our schools. There is certainly much more happening in the legislature than can be covered in a short update. Rest assured that my priorities will continue to focus on supporting and improving educational outcomes by adequately funding our schools and respecting the work of our professional teachers. I remain guided by the principle of avoiding unfunded mandates. Fiscal responsibility and sound budgeting are not achieved by shifting costs onto local governments or property taxpayers.

We will have another busy week ahead at the Capitol, and I look forward to continuing to represent the interests and values of District 35.

OFFICE MANAGER

Do you know & love our community? We are looking for an organized & reliable person with great interpersonal skills. You would be the face & voice of our paper in Caribou County!

Caribou County PZ meets with cities about Impact Area

On the agenda for last week’s county Planning and Zoning meeting was a scheduled discussion with representatives from the cities of Grace and Soda Springs about the Area of Impact. The Area of Impact is mandated by the state of Idaho under Cods 67-6526, and represents the area outside of a city where growth is anticipated. State law requires cities and counties to coordinate on boundaries, comprehensive plans, and zoning regulations.

County PZ members Tim Gaines, Adam Hulse, Tiffany Labrouche, and Chairperson Noel Cole spoke about various concerns with the two cities.

Members of the Grace PZ commission were present, and shared their input.

Bart Benson spoke for Grace, noting that the city’s primary concern was its ability to maintain and safeguard its infrastructure against future development. The city’s wells and springs are to the east of town, which would be in the new area of impact.

To the north of the city, they would like to see the current boundary maintained because it is a natural separa-

tion, and they don’t anticipate a lot of growth there.

One of the requirements of the code is that the Area of Impact line is not more than two miles outside of city limits. Currently, the line is a little east of the 2 mile limit. The County PZ board believed that there are reasons to warrant that.

Benson believed that the likelihood of the city annexing the area to the east of Harwood road was very low.

County PZ Administrator Helen Barker noted that the Area of Impact was primarily used for planning growth and allowing cities to annex areas, but not infrastructure. The city reiterated its position that it wants to be able to protect that water access as a primary concern. The way that the Area of Impact is written into Code, it is not possible for another entity to supersede the city’s infrastructure or resource rights to property in its possession.

Lee Wilkerson of Grace PZ brought the historically observed town boundaries into the discussion.

This discussion preceded to cov-

er some changes to the proposal that had been draw by the PZ board to meet state requirements, which will be added before it is presented to the Board of County Commissioners. The proposed area would draw down the boundary to the river on the north side, and adjust the lines on the south and east to be more in line with the practical utility of the land.

One of the principles of the Area of Impact is that it pave the way for infrastructure to move into areas ahead of or concurrent with development. Since putting in city water and sewer to the north of the river or at elevation to the east is impractical the boundaries will be further discussed.

City of Soda Springs

Daniel Larsen and Charles Fryar (PZ) spoke to similar issues for Soda Springs. “We appreciate the partnership between the county and city,” Larsen said.

The Area of Impact was not extended far to the east of town, which the two had questions about. According to County PZ, this is largely because

of the railroad tracks, which might create an expensive obstacle to moving water and sewer beneath.

It was noted that growth on that side of town was likely to be an issue down the road, though Larsen and Fryar did not think it would likely be a major issue in the next five years. It was also noted that if it became more of an issue, the two entities could fairly quickly work to clarify/change the Area of Impact to account for it. The area to the south of town was considered most likely to expand, and the Area of Impact map does reflect that.

Chairperson Cole noted that the map would give the county a good starting point for when developers approach them

Larsen was not aware of any plans to annex anything into the city. It was clarified that Helen Barker is the point person for Code Enforcement in the county, by way of PZ related code infractions.

Barker stated “I love hearing what the city is doing, and they’re having an open dialog between us.”

Soda Springs City Council Highlights March 4

Barry Oats—Parkridge Subdivision update

Mr. Oats spoke to the city council to acquire approval for phase 2 of the building project. Phase 1 involved 6 twin units. The second phase will involve 5 twin home lots, ten homes on each side of the development. This is cut back from 24 to 20, from the original plan. Garages will be made wider, based on the feedback from homeowners, which should match the local housing. The housing was first approved in 2022, and the homes completed in 2023. They have sold for around $250K. With inflation, the cost has increased to $300k. The homes are around 2200 feet. The main floor is 3B 2 bath. A motion to allow the lot number to go from 6 to 5, adjust garage size, maintain 40 width of road, and update the plats for final approval was made. Oats was thanked by Councilman Larsen for bringing more affordable homes to town.

Jim McCulloch—GOAL

The Bailey Creek Bridge River access was the main topic of conversation. Get Out and Live is a local group established by McCulloch, and focused on healthy outdoor living and activities. Member Chris Gonzalez joined him to explain building a dock at a locationnear Bailey Creek Bridge. The estimated cost is around $16k.

At the location that is felt to be the most likely to work, the county has an 80 foot easement, which they have already been notified about interest in. The question of whether the city has access to the location was raised.

Councilman Carpenter asked who the governing body on river access was. It was explained that a permit

has to be submitted to the Army Corps, Water Resources, and Dept of Lands, and access is contingent on all three.

GOAL wanted to make the city aware of their interest in the project, and to suggest that they had heard from people who are interested into floating and water sports, so a dock would make it more attractive.

Council President Hart agreed with the location choice, and noted that the county has already agreed to help. “You just have to birddog it and keep it going,” he said. He doesn’t think that city property could provide access.

Austin Robinson—DYW

Austin Robinson, Sr. spoke to the council about the DYW program. “We started it in 85 or 86, and it was Junior Miss,” he said. Robinson noted that while the numbers of participants is down from its earlier peaks, the program is an important source of scholarships and community support for the participants.

Mayor Gritton noted that he has seen a lot of positive impacts from the program.

The city donated $550 to the program to support the Lions club and DYW.

Project Updates

Director of City Services Dan Squires stated that they have received funds from ITD to do the city’s portion of replacement project for the upcoming highway project. ITD will pay contractors directly. The funds for the project that go to the city go to the city strictly for infrastructure replacement. The funds were directed to the city by way of Congressman Simpson’s office. DEQ has said that the funds that

were in place for a 2nd south lead pipe replacement project can be moved elsewhere. Those funds are a half million loan, which can be forgiven up to $350K. Where this half million that would be used on the highway could be moved is going to be looked into. “Something to keep on the radar.” The loan is at 1% for 30yrs, at its lowest.

The total price of the project came in below the engineer’s estimate.

The initial start date for the project was 4/6. ITD has said that they can’t do it that soon anymore. Supervisor Squires stated that the end of April or first of May is the most likely starting time. He thinks they are about 45 days away from starting.

Mayor Gritton wanted to acknowledge that the city doesn’t have a lot of information to give out, but they are dedicated to doing so when it is available. “We will keep the public and the council as informed as we can.”

Squires stated that they can’t use ITD funds for anything related to engineering. He is looking into the cost for having an onsite engineer to document “as-builts” and verify that they had “eyes on the project.” ITD does not require anything from the city to verify the work as it goes on. Third parties will be brought in for compaction tests, etc. Squires is looking at an arrangement where they would only pay when they need someone here. They would also be willing to GIS map the city during their downtime from the project. He will bring a proposal to the council. 100 days, the contractor thinks they would need.

March 18 meeting will have the proposal.

On another matter, Director Squires would like to purchase a shipping container and place it at the ice rink at the city park. This would make it so that they could store everything on site, and not have to move it back and forth. The Zamboni, along with all the materials, could be place there 8 or so months a year. “Let’s just keep it out there, safe and secure,” Squires said. The city would have to go through the PZ process, due to ordinances about cargo containers. $4300 is the cost. Trees can be planted around it, and local artists might be able to add that into the beautification project. There are funds available in both the park and the rec funds.

Brownfield Cleanup Alternatives

Sicog received money from the EPA to do Brownfield studies. Phase 1 is assessment, 2 is identification, 3 is an analysis/feasibility study on options for mitigation. There is no cost to the city. It involves outreach, and then Sicog can begin the project. A motion to support for the ABCA at the Enders passed.

Facilities Planning Study

Director Squires explained the facilites planning study to new Councilmembers Daniel Larsen and Paige Byram. The collection system study was done in 2025. In short, the survey found that the city experiences a high level of infiltration of clean water into the wastewater system as a result of leaks. While that doesn’t sound like a bad thing, clean water is harder to process

than wastewater, as it requires a certain percentage of the contaminant to be removed, which taxes the system when processing essentially clean water.

This comes on the tail of a recent meeting with Simplot, who indicated that mine employees may begin moving closer to the area, and there may be an influx of people which would stress the system even further.

Business Licenses

The city council has been working on language regarding business license applications. An update to remove provisions for “menageries” and circuses of varying ring numbers continues to be discussed.

Dept Heads

Parks—Jeff Young

Barricades are done. Painted with new reflectors and wood. Beaver issues are affecting some of the city’s water and sewer infrastructure. This has been happening every two months or so.

Oil has been ordered for chip seal. They piggybacked with Bonneville county.

President Hart asked about burnt out lights out on the overpass, and on Hooper by the Forest Service. The crew knows about them and is working on replacing them.

Hope Hansen

Director Hansen reported that there were 46 kids at storytime On Wednesday. 38 in one session.

Construction at the library remodel continues apace. The walls for the room upstairs are sheetrocked. Electrical will be done soon. Phase 3 will start soon. The cost ended up being to expectation. The stuffed animal sleepover had 130 or more kids.

Community Gardens will be bringing the freeze drier to the library. You just have to call the library to get on the schedule. It gets long in the fall. They have two now. It’s free to use. They do charge for bags to package and O2 absorbers. “It’s really fun to do,” Hansen said. Golf Night is Monday. They are encouraging people to sign up early, though you don’t have to. Ireland, Point S, Full Draw, FG, Cindy and Drew, Baked Fresh, etc.

No programming during spring break.

Completion date for the const project—around a month.

CJ Wants to thank school districts for letting the K-9 training go on Working on getting an exhaust fan put into the evidence room. “It’s been smelling suspicious for about 10 years,” he laughed.

Put graphics on Lt. Hughes’ vehicle, and the Tahoe that’s floating around. Both of them will be up and going. One will be turned into a PIT vehicle. The Explorer will get an added bumper. They practice at the airport. They might be able to partner with regional agency like Preston or Montpelier.

The heart of a bull sale

BY ALLISON ELIASON

As a little girl, I always loved the day we held our annual bull sale. The day started early before the sun was even up. The crisp December air was always punctuated by the steam rising off the pens of bulls ready to sell, the smell of the pine chips in the sale ring, and the buzz of the friends, family, and potential buyers chatting over the cattle and weather and everything in between. The excitement and energy of the day were contagious and I reveled in it.

The day was far more stressful for my dad as he dealt with all the logistics, while my brothers worked the bulls in the background and my mom kept the food flowing to satisfy a crowd of empty bellies. With constantly refilled cups of hot cocoa in hand, I walked the pens of bulls, scoured the bull catalog, and meticulously wrote down the price of each animal as it walked out of the ring.

A lot of things have changed since I was a little girl soaking in all the sights, sounds and feelings of a winter bull sale. You could say that growing a few years older and moving to the other side of the sale ring—buying the animals instead of selling them—would definitely bring changes.. But I’ve noticed it's not just me and my seat at the sale that has changed. In the years since those first bull sale days, technology has given the sale ring a new look that just might have blown my little girl's mind.

Back in the day, there really wasn’t any other option than to be sitting ringside. After a few years and the birth of the cell phone, my dad would take calls to help far

away buyers get in on a bull or two they had been eyeing from afar. The clunky phones with just average service made things work but if we could see how things are done now, we would have skipped the phone tag bidding altogether.

Live streaming auctions have expanded the reach of herd sire producers far beyond their usual circle of interest. With the click of a button, buyers across the country can see the animals, calculate how the price fits in their budget and bid in real time, just as if they were in the front row. Speaking from experience, it makes it entirely possible for a rancher to be sitting port side on a cruise ship ready to set sail yet still able to bid on the future of the herd thousands of miles away.

Sales days aren’t just less stressful for the buyers to try and muddle through, but the crew working the back as well. Sorting the cattle to their pens, then bringing them through the ring for buyers to eye as the auctioneer chants to the rhythm of the incoming bids, just to take them back out again might sound easy. But anyone that has worked the sale day will tell you otherwise. The long day changes significantly when instead of inviting the bull to make an in-person appearance, he shows up virtually on the big screen.

It may have its limitations, but the trend to keep the bulls down the alley and let the prerecorded strut work its magic is giving cattle sales a new look. Sleek screens are replacing the messy panels. Bull bellars aren’t being mistaken for a ringman’s cry. There’s not more lag time waiting for the ornery bull to make his way into the ring. And the technology shaping cattle

BRAIN TEASERS

sales doesn’t stop once the bidding starts. In a world where bull catalogs are packed with numbers and data that can be confusing and hard to decipher, new tools are helping buyers sort through the figures before sale day even arrives.

Recently at a bull sale, I found myself turning to ChatGPT just to see what the artificial intelligence had to offer, to see how well it actually knew cattle. To my surprise a few inputs of how we run our operation and what kind of outputs we hope to get out of our bulls, the app spit out just the right figures to help narrow down which bulls might fit our operation best.

By looking at the EPDs and performance data, it helped prioritize the traits that mattered most for our herd and identified the animals that best matched those goals. In the end, it didn’t make the decision for us—but it did help bring a little clarity and confidence to what we were already looking for. AI in the cattle world isn’t just about artificial insemination anymore.

For all the screens, streaming, and now even artificial intelligence lending a hand, the heart of a bull sale still feels familiar. There are still good cattle to evaluate, neighbors to visit with, and decisions that shape the future of a herd. The tools may look a little different than they did when I was a girl walking the pens with a cup of hot cocoa in hand, but the purpose remains the same. Whether the bid comes from a seat in the sale barn, a phone across the country, or a computer halfway around the world, it still comes down to cattlemen trying to make the best choice for their herd. And in the end, that part of the sale hasn’t changed one bit.

Renewal Notice Reminder

We are extremely grateful to all of our subscribers as we approach our second anniversary of serving Caribou County. As that time draws closer, many of you should be receiving a white mail envelope containing a renewal notice. The envelope is sent out by a third party, and is labeled “Newspaper Management Services” rather than “Idaho Enterprise,” but inside should contain accurate address and subscription information for your account. Before you toss any incoming mail out, take a second to check for our renewal notice (which can get mistaken for mass mailing). If you think you should have received a renewal and haven’t, don’t hesitate to call 208-766-4773 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and ask about your subscription status. If you would like to start a new subscription, the same number at the same times will work!

EVENT CALENDARS

GRACE

March13

March

Church Services Catholic Mass (8:30am) Open Arms Church Services LDS Services Hope Lutheran Church

March 16 – Monday Spring Break

March 17 – Tuesday GSSCDC 5:15 PM Spring Break

March 18 – Wednesday City Council Meeting 5 PM Spring Break

March 19 – Thursday Spring Break

March 14 – Saturday High School Dance

March 15 – Sunday LDS Services

March 18 – Wednesday Track @ Preston

BANCROFT

March 15 – Sunday LDS Services

LUNCH MENUS

SODA SPRINGS LUNCH MENU NO SCHOOL! SPRING BREAK!

NORTH GEM LUNCH MENU

Milk and Choice of Bar Each Day

Monday, March 16

Build Your Own Sub, Deli Bar, Roasted Baby Carrots, Applesauce Pudding Cups

Tuesday, March 17

Walking Tacos, Deli Bar, Cheese Refried Beans, Peaches

Wednesday, March 18

Ribbq Sandwich, Deli Bar, California Spinach Salad, Fresh Orange Wedges

Thursday, March 19

Bacon Ranch Flatbread, Deli Bar, Green Beans, Pears w/Blueberries

GRACE LUNCH MENU

Lunches served with Milk

Monday, March 16

Spaghetti, Breadstick, Food Choices - Corn, Mandarin Oranges

Tuesday, March 17

Shamrock Nuggets, Au Gratin Potatoes, Food Choices - Fresh Fruit, Salad

CARIBOU COUNTY SENIOR CITIZENS' MENU

Every meal served with Juice/Milk/Coffee Menu Subject to Change Without Notice Birthday Cake and Ice Cream is served in-house only!

March 13 — Pork Spare Ribs, Baked Potatoes, Fruit, Cauliflower, Oatmeal Bread, Pudding Dessert

BIRTHDAYS

Gay Scott, March 4

Fay Anderson, March 5

Sidney Thompson, March 6

Helen Christensen, March 8

Glenna Rasmussen, March 9

Charlie Gentry, March 10

Terre Lakey, March 10

Tom Scott, March 13

Merlyn Painter, March 14

St. Patricks Day, March 17

Carol Steffensen, March 17

SueAnn Turner, March 21

Matt Swope, March 22

Ann Hamm, March 23

Wendy Lewis, March 23

Tanae Kole Crump, March 24

March 18 — Corned Beef w/Cabbage, Red Potatoes, Kiwi, Dilly Bread, St. Patrick's Cake

Gayle Powell, March 26

Robbie Lamarr, March 26

Peggy Gould, March 28

Ila Ray VanVleet, March 28

Jerry Bush, March 29

Carolyn Hunsaker, March 30

Charles Fryar, March 30

Kacelyn Kole Crump, March 31

Dorothy Cox, March 31

If you would like to add yourself, your kids, loved one, friend or family member to our weekly birthday list, contact Sherrie at 208-766-4773 or email sherrie.w@idahoenterprise.com

Wednesday, March 18

Breakfast, Food Choices, Cheesy Broccoli, Mandarin Oranges

Thursday, March 19

Corn Dog, Mac & Cheese, Food Choices - Green Beans, Pears

ON THIS DAY

1755 First steam engine in America installed, to pump water from a mine

1894 Coca-Cola is sold in bottle for the first time in a candy store in Vicksburg, Mississippi

1912 Girl Scouts begin in the US as the Girl Guides, formed by Juliette Gordon Low in Savannah

1930 Salt March – Mahatma Gandhi begins his famous 200-mile protest march against the widely hated British salt tax

1933 Franklin D. Roosevelt conducts his first "fireside chat" as US President via radio, speaking directly to 60 million listening Americans, eight days after his inauguration

1951 Comic strip "Dennis the Menace", first appears in the British comic magazine The Beano'

1970 US lowers voting age from 21 to 18

1980 Jury finds John Wayne Gacy guilty of murdering 33 in Chicago

2002 Animated film "Ice Age" directed by Chris Wedge and Carlos Saldanha, with voices by Ray Ramano, Denis Leary and John Leguizamo premieres

2003 Elizabeth Smart found after having been missing for 9 months

2012 "The Hunger Games" directed by Francis Lawrence and starring Jennifer Lawrence premieres in Los Angeles

2019 Dozens charged in US college admission scandal by US federal prosecutors, including actresses Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman

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.

2021

The county officially moved to lift the mask mandate that had been in place. Masks were still recommended inside county buildings, but not required. Masks were also recommended for direct face to face interactions with county employees.

Planning and Zoning’s JoAnna Ashley presented an overview of the codification process the county is going through to review all county ordinances in order to create a formal set collection of the county’s laws in a shareable document. A public hearing will be held in the future, and if it is approved, hard copies will be available, as well as placing it on the county website.

1991

The second snow measurements ofSen. Steve Symms expressed “alarm” at the finding of a report commissioned by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on attitudes and practices of IRS managers. The report, completed in January, was leaked last week to the National Coalition of IRS Whistleblowers. “Given the power of the IRS, and their unparalleled ability to invade and disrupt our lives, the problems confirmed by this report are alarming,” Symms said. “These problems cannot be swept under the rug, and in the near future, I intend to address them and deal with them.” Symms said about 800 IRS executives and managers took part in the internal survey, which showed that over half of them have used their IRS authority to do favors for family and friends. “What’s even more frightening,” Symms said, “is that just under half said they used their position to intimidate or punish personal enemies.” Symms said he was not interested in “bashing” the IRS, but was concerned about protecting the rights of taxpayers. “The IRS has many hard working, dedicated, and under-paid employees,” Symms said. “And I don’t mean to detract from those good employees. But I do mean to ensure that hard working taxpayers are not victimized by the abuses of some officials that are apparently occurring within the service.

Aileen Larsen writes, “Kristi Yost and Michael Schenk have been chosen by their teacher as North Gem’s students of the month for February. Kristi is the daughter of Susan and Fred Yost of Bancroft. A very active senior, Kristi is seminary president, senior class representative, co-editor of the school paper, vice president of the pep club, and secretary of the North Gem choir. She also serves on the yearbook staff and keeps statistics for the boys’ basketball team. As a freshman, sophomore, and junior, Kristi was presented the schools scholastic award. This is an honor given at the end of each school year to the outstanding scholar in each high school class. As north Gem’s top science students during her junior year, Kristi was presented a Science Now Award, which is a program sponsored by INEL as part of its effort to recognize and encourage high school students who excel in the science areas. She was also runner up at the Lions’ Young Woman of the Year Pageant. Michael Schenk, son of JaNeal and Glenn Schenk, is a North Gem senior. Michael served his class as junior vice president. He is currently FFA vice president. Michael’s high school activities have included football, basketball, and FFA. His ankle was broken during a basketball game early in the season this year, but that did not keep him from being a vital part of the team and build the spirit of basketball at North Gem. Scouting has been a long time interest of Michael’s. He ha built a fence at the Bancroft Rodeo grounds as his Eagle Scout project. Michael’s hobbies include playing and watching football and basketball, riding motorcycles,

Presbyterian Women and Pastor Nathan ready and waiting with hot soup and bread at last year's Presbyterian Soup Luncheon. L-R Nona Pristupa, Grace Blatter, Marilyn Kukachka, Veda Mascarenas, Nathan Sobers, Joan Davis, Jana Meikle, Carolyn Puls, Ann Hamm, Tammy Stephens, Cindy Daniels

and “chasing women.” Michael’s goal for the future is to become a pilot. He likes being a student at North Gem because everyone is so close and gets along so well.

Cory Gentry, T.R. Campbell, and Micah Rigby were honored by being chosen by Idaho sportswriters to the second team All State A-3 boys’ basketball team. First team were Justin Jones, Malad, Shawn Kunz, Teton, Eric Wade, Teton, Ryan Hardy, Valley, and Blake Mitchell, Valley. Second team were Cory Gentry, Soda, T.R. Campbell, Soda, Micah Rigby, Soda, Kirk Steadman, Declo, and David Cunningham, Lapwai.

Spec. 4 David Hoff, former resident of Soda Springs, survived the worst scud missile attack of the Gulf War. David was reported missing after the attack for 12 hours. His dog tags were found but he couldn’t be located. David was later found in a hospital but was not identified for some time. Sp. Hoff was suffering from trauma and shock—he had lost his memory. He remembered throwing his dog tags because they were so hot. Hoff went to Saudi Arabia in October in the 27th Engineering Battalion and had returned at Thanksgiving time, planning to stay. His allergic reaction to a gamma globulin shot necessitated his being sent to Walter Reed Medical Center. His experience as a generator mechanic, however, resulted in his request to return to the desert. He had been scheduled to take a two-day flight to Saudi Arabia that made stops along the way. Instead, he and other special forces personnel were flown straight to their assignment in Dhahran, arriving about an hour before the Scud attack. They had just gone to the barracks to rest. David is aboard a Navy ship at this time, where they took shrapnel from his leg for four hours. He also had serious burns on the upper part of his body. As soon as he is well enough, he will be sent to Germany until he recovers enough to be sent home, where he will receive the Purple Heart. David is the son of Weldon Hoff, Georgetown, and Jeraldine Duncan, Blackfoot. David attended grade schools in Soda Springs, later moving to Blackfoot, where he graduated in 1982.

A proposal eliminating driving privileges for Idaho’s 14-year olds while dropping the legal driving age from 16 to 15 will be debated by the entire Idaho Senate early in March.

Following a 90 minute debate of the proposal Feb 26, the Senate Transportation Committee, in a 6-4 ballot, voted to send SB 1187 to the full Senate with a “do pass” recommendation. Co-sponsored by Senate Republican Leader Jerry Twiggs, Blackfoot, and Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Dennis Hansen, Soda Springs, the law would take effect Sept 1 if passed. Under the bill, “daylight only” restrictions will apply to 15 year old resident who have successfully completed an accredited driver’s education course. The law requires officers to treat non-resident 15 year old drivers.

1977

Senator Frank Church announced last week that he has joined in introducing legislation to prohibit corporations with more than $3 in non-farm assets from engaging in

farming operations. “I think it’s time to stop the growing vertical integration by food manufacturers into agriculture,” said Church. “Presently, these manufacturers control some 22 per cent of farm production.” Church added that such corporate conglomerates “buy choice farm lands, engage in contract farming, wrestle family famers out of business through their economic muscle, control markets and product lines, and all too often are more interested in tilling the Internal Revenue code than the soil.” Some have argued, Church added, that “corporate control of agricultural production represents only a small percentage of production while providing needed capital. But the real question in who should control agriculture in this country: independent farmers or large corporations? I think that question must be answered in favor of the farmer, and the time to act is now, before the present trend toward corporate farm control becomes irreversible.

Officers of the Grace Business Men’s and Women’s Organization met at Turner’s Café on March 2, for the purpose of choosing a chairman. Eddie Panter conducted the meeting. Lilas Van Vleet read minutes of the November meeting, and requested help getting the minutes from February. The disposition of the donation for the track at the high school was discussed and decided to give the check at a later date when track plans were complete. The officers decided to continue to sponsor an ad and picture for each new business starting out in Grace in both the Grace Citizen and the Caribou County Sun. Approval for a donation of $100 to the Lions Club Pony League was made to be given at the next month’s meeting with a Lions Club member present to receive the donation. Board member Thola Lowe reported that Deputy Sheriff Larry Higgins wished to warn business men to remove ladders from the rear of their business buildings as it is an invitation to thieves to use them to break into businesses through the roof.

A Rexburg woman now holds a third place in Idaho’s big game record book. Vicki Grover took a Wyoming-Shiras moose during last fall’s season in Madison County that scored 176 6/8 on the Boone and Crockett official scoring system. A minimum of 150 is required. The scores for Nos. 2 and 1 on moose are 182 6/8 and 199 3/8 respectively. Both moose were taken in 1957. The Idaho big game records is now complete through June 1976 and covers all big game species in the state.

Idaho’s production of red meat during January 1977 was a January record, 36.5 million pounds. The Idaho Crop and Livestock Reporting Service stated the previous record for January of 35.2 million pounds was established in 1974. Cattle slaughtered totaled 55,000 head compared with 48,500 head a year earlier. This coupled with a 29 pound increase in average live weight resulted in a total cattle slaughter live weight of 62.9 million pounds – 17 percent greater than the previous January.

1966

Stacey Lewis, daughter of Mr. and

Mrs. Max Lewis was honored Sunday afternoon on her second birthday at a family dinner. Guests were her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Moore and Mrs. Ezra Lewis.

Mrs. Barry Christensen and three children spent from Thursday until Sunday with her parents, Jim and Catherine Raymond in Montpelier while Barry went with Kay Andreasen to Los Angeles as a relief driver.

Mrs. Elaine Webb and daughter Kathy and friend, Paul Webb of Paris visited with the Lou Pugmire family Sunday afternoon.

De Anne Gunnell of Idaho Falls, visited with her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Ray Gunnell.

1946

Dr. and Mrs. Allen Tigert left Tuesday to return to their home in St. Louis, Mo.

Thomas K. Gunnell left this morning for American Falls where he will install truck scales for the Globe Mills.

Harry Sorensen accepted delivery on a 1946 DeSoto Sedan and Earl Balls on a 1946 Plymouth sedan March 10 from the Call Motor Co. Mr. Sorensen and Mr. Balls were first on the list to receive new cars. Mr. Call expects delivery of more DeSotos and Plymouths in the near future.

Mrs. Rulon Evans and Mrs. Earl Evans spent the weekend in Pocatello with their husbands who are employed in that city.

1927

Mrs. E. I. Simons and little son Grant are visiting relatives at Gray’s Lake this week.

Last Saturday a number of Soda residents took their cars and made a trip to Grace. The object was to open the road for traffic. The trip was made without trouble, and since this time there has been considerable travel over the road.

Howard E. Nichols was a business visitor to Paris and Montpelier Monday and Tuesday.

IDAN-HA THEATRE

-INDOOR-

Thursday, March 12

Friday, March 13

Saturday, March 14

Hoppers (PG)

When scientists discover a way to transform human consciousness into robotic animals, Mabel uses the new technology to uncover mysteries of the animal world that are beyond anything she could have ever imagined.

Thursday & Friday

6:00 p.m. & 8:15 p.m.

Saturday Matinee 2:00, 6:00 & 8:15 p.m. (All seats $5)

Wednesday, March 18 6:00 p.m. & 8:15 p.m. (All seats $5) 208-547-3282

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

The Mayor and City Council of the City of Soda Springs will hold a PUBLIC HEARING at the City Council

Mee8ng on March 18, 2026, at 5:05 pm in the City Hall, 9 West 2nd South, Soda Springs, Idaho.

The Public Hearing will be held to receive public comments on proposed new fees for Building Permit Fees for ResidenCal and Commercial, and addiCons and revisions to City Equipment Rentals Fees.

Building Permit Fee Schedule (Residen8al)

Total Valua8on Fee

$1.00 - $500.00 $25.00

$501.00 - $2,000.00 $25.00 for the ﬁrst

$25,001.00 - $50,000.00 $274.00 for the ﬁrst $25,000.00 plus $7.00 for each addi8onal $1,000.00

$50,001.00 - $100,000.00 $450.50 for the ﬁrst $50,000.00 plus $5.00 for each addi8onal $1,000.00

$100,001.00 - $500,000.00 $695.50 for the ﬁrst $100,000.00 plus $4.00 for each addi8onal $1,000.00

$500,001.00 - $1,000,000.00 $2,263.50 for the ﬁrst $500,000.00 plus $3.50 for each addi8onal $1,000.00

$1,000,001.00 + $3,926.00 for the ﬁrst $1,000,000.00 plus $2.50 for each addi8onal $1,000.00

Building Permit Fee Schedule (Commercial)

Total Valua8on Fee

$1.00 - $500.00 $30.00

$501.00 - $2,000.00 $30.00 for the ﬁrst $500.00 plus $2.40 for each addi8onal $100.00

$2,001.00 - $25,000.00 $58.20 for the ﬁrst $2,000.00 plus $12.00 for each addi8onal $1,000.00

$25,001.00 - $50,000.00

LEGAL NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that IDAWY Solid Waste District (District) has submitted to the Southeastern Idaho Public Health (SIPH) and Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (IDEQ) an Operating Plan for the IDAWY Regional Landfill Facility (Facility) located at 348 Diamond Gulch, Georgetown, ID 83239 (42° 34' 59.6" N, 111° 28' 43.8'' W). The purpose of this submission is to provide an operating plan for a Municipal Solid Waste Landfill Facility. This public notice is made pursuant to IDAPA 58.01.06.013, and as determined in Section 31-819 of Idaho Code. This application may be reviewed at the District office located at 241 S Main, Suite #3 Lower Left, Soda

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS

Mailing Address: IDAWY Solid Waste District Office 241 South Main, Suite #3 Lower Left Soda Springs, ID 83276

Project A Address: IDAWY Regional Landfill 348 Diamond Gulch Georgetown, ID 83239

Project B Address: IDAWY Caribou Landfill 1979 Central Rd Grace, ID 83241

2026 IDAWY Regional Landfill and IDAWY Caribou Landfill Liner

Installation Project Sealed Bids for the above-referenced

Project will be received by Jayson Lower at the mailing or physical address listed above until 1:00 PM MST on April 2, 2026. At 1:30 PM MST bids will be publicly opened and read aloud at the IDAWY Solid Waste District Office physical address. Bids may alternatively be submitted electronically to the Engineer at chovey@swti.org. Bidders submitting electronically must follow up by telephone to confirm receipt of the submission. If confirmation is not successfully obtained, the Engineer shall not be responsible for transmission errors or system

#1205-03-05-12-26-T2

Springs, ID 83276, (208) 417-1625.

Office hours are from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Thursday, except holidays. An electronic copy can also be downloaded at: https:// swti.org/regops. The public is invited to comment on the operating plan. The 30-day comment period commences with the first publication of this announcement starting the week of February 23, 2026. Written comments will be accepted during the public comment period and should be directed to SIPH at: The Southeastern Idaho Public Health, Attn: Mike Reas, 1901 Alvin Ricken Dr, Pocatello, ID 83201.

#1203-03-05-12-19-26-04-02-26-T5

issues that result in late receipt and subsequent rejection of the bid.

The Project consists of construction of lining systems and associated earthwork at the IDAWY Regional Landfill for Disposal Cell A1, including installation of a leachate containment pond with a leak detection system.

The Project also includes lining a stormwater pond at the IDAWY Caribou Landfill Facility. The total liner installation area is approximately 345,000 square feet.

Two Bid Schedules are included in the Project Manual: one covering work at the IDAWY Regional Landfill and one covering work at the IDAWY Caribou Landfill. Bidders must complete and submit both Bid Schedules to be considered responsive.

Each bid must be accompanied by a Bid Bond in the amount of five percent (5%) of the total bid.

The Owner reserves the right to reject any or all bids, or any portion thereof.

Only bids providing firm pricing and bearing proper signatures will be accepted. All bids are subject to applicable Idaho laws and regulations. A pre-bid meeting will not be held. For additional information or to obtain electronic copies of the Contract Documents, contact Chet Hovey, Solid Waste Training Institute, at (801) 918-5107.

#1207-03-12-19-26-26-T3

$100,001.00 - $500,000.00 $834.60 for the ﬁrst $100,000.00 plus $4.80 for each addi8onal $1,000.00

$500,001.00 - $1,000,000.00 $2,716.20 for the ﬁrst $500,000.00 plus $4.20 for each addi8onal $1,000.00

$1,000,001.00 + $4,711.20 for the ﬁrst $1,000,000.00 plus $3.00 for each addi8onal $1,000.00

Adult Cross-Country Skis (boots, skis, & poles)

$10.50 per day / $19.00 weekend

$7.00 per day / $12.00 weekend

Youth Cross Country Skis (boots, skis, & poles)

Disc Golf Discs (minimum of three

discs: puXer, midrange, and driver) $10.00 per day / $16.00 Weekend

Horse Shoes $7.00 per day / $12.00 weekend

Basketball/Football/ Volleyballs (Game Balls Only)

$5.00 per day / $8.50 weekend

Game PKG (choice of 2 out of 4 games) $12.00 per day /$18.00 weekend

Corn Hole (2 game boards and 8 bean bags) $7.00 per day / $12.00 weekend

Volleyball PKG (1 net and 2 volleyballs) $7.00 per day / $12.00 weekend

Adult touring kayak (1 life vest and 1 paddle) $25.00 per day /$ 45.00 weekend

$10.00 per day / $16.00 weekend

Youth sit on top of a kayak (1 life vest and 1 paddle)

Adult paddle board (1 life vest and 1 paddle) $25.00 per day /$ 45.00 weekend

Youth paddle board (1 life vest and 1 paddle) $10.00 per day / $16.00 weekend

Oars /paddles only $3.00 per day / $5.50 weekend

Adult ﬁgure or hockey ice skates $6.50 per day / $11.00 weekend

Youth ﬁgure or hockey ice skates $4.00 per day / $7.00 weekend

Ice hockey s8cks and pucks $2.75 per day / $5.00 weekend

Snowshoes & 1 set of poles $10.50 per day/ $19.00 weekend

These new fees are necessary to help oﬀset the costs of

the

Permit program, which includes Building Inspector Inspec8ons and outdoor recrea8on

programs. The public is invited to aXend, and public comment is encouraged. Copies of the proposed Fee Schedule Resolu8on 2026-2 are available at City Hall.

All persons aXending the mee8ng shall be given the opportunity to be heard. WriXen comments or objec8ons may be submiXed to the City Clerk at 9 West 2nd South, Soda Springs, Idaho 83276.

Andrea Haderlie, City Clerk

Any person needing special accommoda8ons to par8cipate in the above-no8ced mee8ng should contact Soda Springs City Hall prior to the mee8ng by calling 547-2600. #1204

PRESS RELEASE 3/5/2026

Lava Hot Springs Academy Expands Reach with New Busing Program

Lava Hot Springs, Idaho Lava Hot Springs Academy (LHSA) is celebrating a strong first year of growth and learning and is expanding access for families across the region with its own transportation program for the 2026 –2027 school year.

To meet growing demand, LHSA is purchasing three new buses, creating centralized pickup locations in Downey, Arimo, and McCammon , along with home-to-school routes within Lava Hot Springs. The expansion will allow more families from surrounding communities to attend the academy and benefit from its distinctive educational model.

Families continue to choose LHSA because of its focused academic model, caring and dedicated staff, and its Discovery Education program. A key part of the school’s approach is small group instruction in English Language Arts and Mathematics each morning . Traditional whole-group instruction often teaches to the middle, which can leave some students struggling to keep up while others become bored. LHSA’s small-group model allows teachers to provide targeted support and meaningful extension so every student remains engaged and progressing.

Students also benefit from a well -rounded program that includes science, history, art, music, and physical education. The school’s Discovery Education program connects classroom learning with hands-on experiences centered on expeditionary learning, outdoor adventure, heritage and practical skills, and community connection

Interest in LHSA continues to grow as the school completes its first year. The enrollment lottery for the 2026–2027 school year closes March 15th.

Families interested in learning more are invited to attend school tours scheduled March 9 –12 with two tour times offered each day: 8:30–9:30 a.m. and 10:00–11:00 a.m. Tours provide an opportunity to meet teachers, visit classrooms, and see the school’s programs in action.

More information visit www.lavahotspringsacademy.org or call (208)776-5910 about enrollment, tours, and the lottery process

About Lava Hot Springs Academy

More information visit www.lavahotspringsacademy.org or call (208)776-5910 about enrollment, tours, and the lottery process

Lava Hot Springs Academy is a free K-6 public charter school committed to academic excellence, whole-child education, and strong community partnerships.

About Lava Hot Springs Academy

Lava Hot Springs Academy is a free K-6 public charter school committed to academic excellence, whole-child education, and strong community partnerships.

CARIBOU COUNTY SHERIFF

Richard Owen Baker, Liberty, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50

Todd T Beresford, Montpelier, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50

Brett Askel Berman, Windermere, speeding (16 mph or over), $98.50, costs $56.50

Malik Anthony Blackman, Salisbury, speeding (16 mph or over), $98.50, costs $56.50

Carlos Amador Castillo, Alpine, speeding (16 mph or over), $98.50, costs $56.50

Johnathan M Childress, Fortworth, speeding (16 mph or over), $98.50, costs $56.50

Brian James Feldman, Parkland, operate vehicle when unsafe or improperly equipped, $10.50, costs

$56.50

Cassidy Shae Harmon, Pingree, fail to register vehicle annually, $10.50, costs $56.50

Wade Byron Liljenquist, West Point, speeding, $33.50, costs

$56.50

Kawak Miranda, Sandy, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50

Gabriel Fischer Nilsen, Hailey, fail to register vehicle annually, $10.50, costs $56.50

SODA SPRINGS POLICE

Alexis Mya Bertola, Orem, consume or possess open container by passenger, $15.50, costs $86.50

Shawn Matthew Davis, Soda Springs, fail to provide proof of insurance, $75.00, costs $56.50

Jeremy I Fisher, Piedmont, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50

Cage Lee Giles, Malad, consume or possess open container by passenger, $15.50, costs $86.50

Kenneth Edward Kennedy, Pembroke Pines, improper use of designated lane, $10.50, costs $56.50; operate vehicle when unsafe or improperly equipped, $10.50, costs

$56.50

Kasidy Kevin Manhart, Grace, fail to use safety restraint, $10.00

Braxton Brooks McManus, Vineyard, consume or possess an open container by passenger, $15.50, costs $56.50

Beatriz Eliza Payan Bustamante, Rexburg, speeding, $33.50, costs

$56.50

Isaiah Alan Rendon, Boise, fail to register annually, $10.50, costs $56.50

David Thomas Schreiber, Montpelier, fail to maintain liability insurance, $75.00, costs $56.50

Rachel Michelle Sutton, Parker, speeding (16 mph or over), $98.50, costs $56.50

IDAHO STATE POLICE

Dillion Larry Bower, Soda Springs, muffler causing excessive fumes or smoke, $10.50, costs $56.50; operate vehicle when unsafe or improperly equipped, $10.50, costs $56.50; window tinting film application violation, $10.50, costs $56.50

Alan Lance Dent, Lehi, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50

Jake Merrill Dye, Soda Springs, fail to use safety restraint, $10.00

Sean Patrick Hart, Panama Dity Beach, operate vehicle when unsafe or improperly equipped, $10.50, costs $56.50

Isomiddin Jumaev, Brooklyn, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50

Brendan Scott Kercher, Clinton, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50

David Shane Lewis, West Jordan, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50

Sara Elizabeth Martin, Durango, speeding (16 mph or over), $98.50, costs $56.50

Lane Riley Packer, Grace, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50

Krista Peterson, Grace, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50

Juanita Lou Powell, Murray, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50

Peggy Ann Richards, Bear River, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50

Gabreil J Tobias, Soda Springs, child 6 years or younger improperly secured, $27.50, costs $56.50

Rebekah Rose Wuerch, Rexburg, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50

IDAHO FISH AND GAME

James Harris Gilbert, Soda Springs, discharge any firearm from or across a public highway, $100.00, costs $165.00

MAGISTRATE COURT

Kaylum Scott Balczewski, Soda Springs, driving without privileges, $500.00, suspended $350.00, costs $172.50, 60 days jail, 57 days suspended, 3 days credit time served, 24 months probation; resisting or obstructing officers, $500.00, suspended $350.00, costs $157.50, 100 days, 100 days suspended, 24 months probation – Agency: SSPD

Jeffrey Call, Soda Springs, resisting or obstructing officers, $50.00, costs $157.50 – Agency: SSPD

Dakota Gines, Lyman, driving under the influence, $750.00, costs $202.50, 360 days jail 350 days suspended, 2 days credit time served, drivers license suspended 350 days, 24 months probation – Agency: CCSO

Hardeep, Fresno, inattentive or careless driving, $300.00, costs $207.50, 90 days jail, 90 days suspended, 12 months probation –Agency: SSPD

Marlene Michelle Lepe, Alpine, possess drug paraphernalia with intent to use, $300.00, costs $249.50, 21 days jail, 20 days suspended, 1 day credit time served, 12 months probation – Agency: SSPD

Lindsy Jo Maestas, Lava Hot Springs, petit theft by unauthorized control or transfer of property with intent of depriving the owner, $600.00, suspended $550.00, costs $657.50, 24 months probation –Agency: SSPD

Alejandra Ramos Ruvalcaba, NA, possession or use of a legend drug or precursor without authorized prescription drug order, $300.00, costs $157.50, 120 days jail, 110 days suspended, 2 days credit time served, 18 months probation; possess drug paraphernalia with intent to use, $200.00, costs $197.50, 120 days jail, 110 days suspended, 2 days credit time served 18 months probation; alcoholic beverage - unlawful transportation by driver, $50.00, costs $187.50; driving under the influence, $250.00, costs $383.50, 120 days jail, 110 days suspended, 2 days credit time served, drivers license suspended 365 days, 18 months probation –Agency: CCSO

Johnathan Grant Yearsley, Shelly, driving under the influence (second offense), $700.00, costs $202.50, 360 days jail, 320 days suspended, 40 days credit time served, drivers license suspended 365 days, 24 months probation – Agency: CCSO

PET CORNER

Confessions of a Sensitive Cat: When Stress Makes It Hurt to Purr BY WHISKERS

(AS TOLD TO MY VETERINARY TEAM)

Hello. My name is Whiskers, and I do not like change.

I am a dignified, routine-loving housecat. I rise at 6:12 a.m., patrol the kitchen at 6:14, and expect breakfast at 6:15. I nap in the sunspot by the living room window until precisely when the mail truck rattles past. My life is orderly. Predictable. Safe.

So when things shift — when the sofa moves three inches to the left, when visitors arrive with loud shoes, when my humans start packing boxes or bring home that “adorable” new kitten —my whiskers tremble. My heart beats faster. I stop feeling safe.

That’s when my bladder begins to burn.

My veterinarian calls it stress cystitis, also known as feline idiopathic cystitis. I call it misery.

When I feel anxious, my body reacts. My bladder becomes inflamed, and suddenly every trip to the litter box feels urgent and uncomfortable. I squat. I strain. I try again. And sometimes, nothing happens except a sharp, stinging sensation that makes my tail twitch.

You see, I am a creature of control. I need my environment to feel stable. I need my resources to feel abundant. That includes litter boxes.

Let me be very clear: the proper number of litter boxes in a household is one more than the number of cats. If there are two of us, I require three boxes. Not two. Not “one big one we can share.” Three. In quiet locations. Clean. Unscented. Always accessible. I do not want to negotiate bathroom rights with the new kitten. I do not want to wait in line. I certainly do not want to discover that my preferred box has been relocated next to the washing machine — that roaring metal monster.

When my world feels crowded or

unpredictable, my stress builds. And when my bladder hurts, I start making choices I’m not proud of.

It begins with the laundry pile in the corner of the bedroom. It smells like my humans — comforting, familiar, safe. Soft, too. When my bladder is inflamed and I associate the litter box with discomfort, that pile seems like a reasonable alternative. I know you think it’s revenge. It isn’t. It’s desperation mixed with anxiety. Then there was the bed.

Oh, I know. That felt personal. I hesitated. I paced. But the bed smells the most like my people. It is the center of our shared territory. When I am overwhelmed, I want to mix my scent with yours. It soothes me. For a brief moment after I urinate there, I feel calmer — as if I have reasserted stability in a world that feels wobbly.

But afterward? I see your faces. I hear the frustration in your voices. And my stress only grows.

Thankfully, my veterinary team at Soda Springs Animal Clinic understood. They examined me to rule out infection and stones. They explained that stress cystitis is common in sensitive cats like me. They talked to my humans about environmental enrichment — more litter boxes, more vertical spaces, consistent routines, interactive play, and safe hiding spots. They suggested pheromone diffusers and puzzle feeders. They reminded my family that punishment would only worsen my anxiety.

Most importantly, they listened to my story.

If you have a cat like me — watch for the signs. Straining, frequent trips to the litter box, urinating outside the box, excessive grooming. These are not acts of spite. They are signals of stress and discomfort.

We cats don’t ask for much. Keep our world predictable. Give us one more litter box than cats in the house. Let our days flow in familiar patterns. And please — don’t move the sofa.

e Idaho Enterprise - Caribou County Edition P.O. Box 331 Soda Springs, Idaho 83276 (U.S.P.S. -- 090-560) ISSN: 2997-1004

The Idaho Enterprise - Caribou County Edition is published weekly at 76 South Main Street, Ste. 207, Soda Springs, Idaho. Postmaster, please mail address corrections to: The Idaho Enterprise, P.O. Box 331, Soda Springs, Idaho 83276. Entered as “periodicals” at the Soda Springs, Idaho Post Offi ce.

Subscription rates are strictly in advance -- $55.00 per year delivered in Caribou County, and $67.00 per year delivered outside of Caribou County within the United States. The Idaho Enterprise reserves the right to refuse publication of any or all materials.

Brandon Hall Editor brandon.h@idahoenterprise.com Bryan Dean Scott Publisher bryan.s@thecityjournals.com Sherrie Wise Advertising sherrie.w@idahoenterprise.com

Second Annual Library Putting Day

For the second year in a row, the Soda Springs Library opened it doors, and floors, to several sponsors for an indoor nine hole putt-putt course. Sponsors helped to decorate and set up the holes, which were played on during the day for donations to the Friends of the Library.

The funds raised through the event will be used to help cover costs associated with the library’s ongoing remodel/refresh project on its upper floor. Part of that upper floor has been framed out and is being converted into a quiet study/meeting room, which has been a request of patrons to the library over the years. Along with funds from the city of Soda Springs, the Friends of the Library have also purchased new, sturdy furniture, and done some quality of life upgrades on the building and upstairs area. Remodeling of a bathroom wall on the lower level is also ongoing.

Sponsors for this year’s putting course included Ireland Bank, Cindy and Drew Erickson, Woodeye Industries, Idaho Fish and Game, Point S Tire, Full Draw Archery, Baked Fresh

Sourdough, Jori Nate, and the Soda Springs Rotary Club.

A table at the entrance gave Children’s Librarian Dorajo Messerly a chance to test visitors’ D.C. and American History knowledge as they finished their rounds of golf.

“I would say it’s amazing what the

Spring is Busy for 4-H

It’s no surprise that spring is one of the most hectic times of the year for the Ag industry, and that applies just as well to 4-H and FFA kids.

Weigh-ins

The first weigh-in of the year took place at the end of last month, when Beef Weigh-In was held at the Fairgrounds on Saturday the 28th. The minimum weight for Fair time is 1,000 pounds for the sale, and most of the cattle weighed averaged between 800 and 900 pounds at the time of weighing. A few were at the required weight already, and others had some more work to do before they got there.

It was a steady streams of trucks and trailers throughout the bitterly cold and windy afternoon, with dozens of cows having established their initial weight by the end of it. Darryl Wadsworth of Grace High School was again on hand for the weighing, though he noted that this would most likely be his last year doing it. We will be talking to Wadsworth before the end of the school year to get his

perspective on Ag in Grace, and Caribou County as a whole.

Justin Hatch, Rachel Hamilton and Taylor Simmons of the Extension Office were joined by Darryl Wadsworth and Shane Hamilton, as well as Royce Hatch of the Chesterfield 4-H program for the weighing. While somewhat stubbornly, the beef all eventually got their numbers.

Remaining Weigh-ins are Swine (April 11 10am), Sheep *May 30 10am), and goats (May 30 11am).

Info Night

March 12 6 p.m.

An informational night of Horse 4-H, which is a mandatory meeting for all Horse 4-H members (and counts as a club meeting) will be held this coming Thursday.

They will be going over a lot of information that pertains to this year's program, and everyone who plans to participate is asked to attend.

If Horse 4-H is something you are interested in but want more info before committing, this is the place to

library is able to consistently do for this community,” Soda Springs mayor Paul Gritton said while surveying the scene.

As if sensing the question in the air, Friends of the Library President Beth Cheirrett later noted, “We are able to do what we do largely because of the amazing support of the community.”

be. March 12th, 2026 Caribou County Event Center in Grace.

Animal Workshop

On Saturday, March 28, 4-H and FFA chapters in the county will be joined by Soda Springs Animal Clinic at the Event Center in Grace for a “Livestock Animal Husbandry Workshop.” The event is open to FFA students, local 4-H members, and livestock producers. The event is education focused, and will provide participants information about the proper care and management of their project animals for the upcoming Fair season. Topics will include dairy and husbandry practices, nutrition and feeding basics, disease prevention, responsible antibiotic use, and preparing for show season. The schedule will be as follows: Swine 1-2 p.m.; Sheep 2-3 p.m.; Goats 3-4 p.m., Beef 4-5 p.m.

Holes featured a range of Americana themed play surfaces, including baseball stadiums, New York City, Route 66, the National Parks, the Grand Canyon, and more. Anyone who missed the event but would like to donate to the library can use the website sslibraryfreinds.com to do so.

Baby Farm Animal Day Fairgrounds, April 24 1-3 p.m.

Join the University of Idaho Extension office for the Baby Farm Animal Day at the Caribou County Fairgrounds to learn more about 4-H animal science projects. Participants will have a chance to see and meet baby ducks, chicks, goats, lambs, rabbits, puppies, kittens, and more. The hands-on event provides a great opportunity to interact with animals and the youth who raise them for 4-H projects.

The event is free and no registration is required.

For these and other events, please contact the Caribou County Extension Office at 208-547-3205 or email Caribou@uidaho.edu. The Extension Office is housed inside the Caribou County Event Center in Grace, right across from the Fairgrounds.

Hatch was the

for

Jennifer Squires and Ronda Lutz from Ireland Bank, with Becky Petersen

This year's theme was America250

President Messerly?

Fish and Game

Cindy Erickson's sculpted Grand Canyon

Nothing more American than baseball in March

It was a busy afternoon in Grace for weigh-in.

Darryl Wadsworth and Justin Hatch moved cattle to the scale.

Royce

intake specialist

the weigh-in. Hatch is part of the Chesterfield 4-H program, which is a small but robust chapter that we are looking forward to learning more about as Fair season gets closer.

Darryl Wadsworth, Justin Hatch, Taylor Simmons, Hudsyn (very cold), and Rachel Hamilton.

Cards and Grizz Bring Home State Trophies

BY JODY REEVES

The Soda Springs Cardinals and the Grace Grizzlies were each able to secure one of the coveted trophies from the state basketball tournament last weekend. While neither team was able to obtain a state championship both teams did claim consolation championships while following very similar paths. After each team was able to win district championships they were each given low seeds in the state tournament. The seeding at state is based on maxpreps rankings which in and of themselves can be controversial. The Cardinals ended up being seeded seventh out of eight teams while the Grizzlies were put in as the lowly eighth seed in their bracket. As the tournament played out in each classification it became clear that out of all six classifications the Cardinals and Grizzlies may have been the two most underrated teams in the entire state. While both of our local teams did fall in their opening games to high seeded teams, both were able to bounce back and beat teams that were seeded well above them. The Cardinals lost their first game to the number two seed then came back to beat the number three and number five ranked teams. Similarly the Grizzlies lost to the number one seed and then were able to defeat the number five and six ranked teams to win their trophy. The Cardinals and Grizzlies were the only seventh and eighth seeded teams in any classification to win a trophy. In my eyes this just shows the determination that Caribou County kids have to continue to battle through adversity. Now let's break down each team's tournament run.

Soda Springs Cardinals

The Cardinals tournament began on Thursday evening. For their opening round game they were paired up with the Wendell Trojans. Many expected Wendell to come out of districts with the conference championship and be one of the favorites to win state. After the Cardinals pulled off the district title upset leaving the Trojans to finish in second place Wendell was seeking their revenge when the two teams met at state. The Cardinals on the other hand were not ready to go down without a fight. While the Trojans did score the first two baskets in the game the Cardinals did not panic as they quickly matched their opponents. The Cardinals combated the quickness of the Trojans with aggressive defensive play. While the aggressive defense did result in several fouls being called the strategy worked early on and as the first quarter ended they were all tied up

at thirteen points a piece. In the second quarter the Cardinals came out on fire and went on a 8-0 run forcing a Wendell timeout. The lead did not last long. The Trojans came charging back and by the halftime break the Cardinals lead had been cut to a single point. For the first three minutes of the third the game remained close with the Cardinals maintaining a slim lead then things went south for Soda Springs. Following a series of shooting fouls and some long rebounds that led to fast break opportunities the Trojans went on a run of their own. The Trojans led by as much as eleven in the quarter and finished it up by nine. Despite their best efforts the Cardinals were not able to break through in the fourth quarter. Although they matched the Trojans scoring output in the fourth they just could not overcome the Wendells third quarter run. As a result the Cardinals lost their opening game and were forced to move to the consolation side of the bracket where the best they could hope for would be a consolation championship. Following the round one loss the Cardinals were set to face the Orofino Maniacs in round two. The three seeded Maniacs were upset in their opening round by the sixth seeded Pilgrims from New Plymouth. The Cardinals and the Maniacs were each hungry for a win and wanted to avoid elimination. The game opened up with a pair of three’s by each team which showed promise of a thrilling shootout. As the quarter progressed the Cardinals were able to gain a slight edge. At the end of the first Soda Springs had a three point lead. Not much changed in the second quarter of play. Every time the Cardinals appeared to be on the verge of breaking the game open the Maniacs would reel them back in staying within striking distance. By the end of the first half of play the Cardinals had only increased their lead to four. In the third quarter the Cardinals did take control of the game. The shooters from Soda Springs along with several quick transition points helped the Cardinals jump out to a double digit lead. Halfway through the quarter the Cardinals had led by as much as sixteen. By the end of the quarter the Maniacs had trimmed the lead to eleven. The Cardinals were able to maintain about a ten point lead through the first half of the fourth quarter then the Maniacs went to work. Over the next few minutes Orofino out hustled the Cardinals and were threatening Soda Springs chances of moving on to the next round. With just two minutes left in the game the lead had all but evaporated and with just under a minute the

game was all knotted up. With just twelve seconds left in the game the Maniacs had now clawed their way to a one point lead and were at the foul line shooting two shots. Things looked bleak for the Cardinals but fortune was on their side. The Maniac player missed the shots and Soda got the ball. With just seconds left in the game Gavin Hansen drove to the basket and was fouled. Hansen stepped to the line and drilled both shots giving the lead back to the Cardinals. A last second halfcourt heave from Orofino missed the mark and Soda Springs came away with the narrow victory. The win in the consolation semi-final put the Cardinals in the consolation championship where they faced the fifth seeded Firth Cougars. The Cougars were coming off of a dominating eighteen point win over Parma in their consolation semi final. In the first quarter of the consolation championship the game stayed close. A Thompson three in the closing seconds gave the Cardinals a four point advantage heading into the second quarter. In the second quarter the Cardinals took control of the game. After leading by eleven Soda Springs finished the half up by nine. Not much changed in the third as the lead stayed right around the ten point threshold. Now entering their fourth and final quarter of the season the Cardinals held a twelve point lead. Much like the third quarter the Cardinals held a double digit lead for the vast majority of the time. Unlike their semi final game the Cardinals opposition was unable to mount any kind of a dramatic comeback. Holding a fifteen point lead and less than a minute left Coach Tom Fueschel emptied his bench giving his senior players a moment to be honored by the Cardinals fan base. Soda Springs got the victory and won the consolation trophy for the second year in a row. The Cardinals were led in the tournament once again by their big three. Of the one hundred seventy points scored by the Cardinals in the tournament Hansen, Thompson and McWilliams accounted for one hundred forty of those points. The three seniors along with their fellow senior teammates will definitely be missed next season. However do not be dismayed if you are a Cardinal fan. In the later part of the season the coaching staff worked in several of the younger players and many of them showed real promise. I was especially impressed with the recent play of Landon Martinsen and Makiah Browning to go along with returning starter Jaxson Horsley. They will give the coaches a good start on building next year's team.

Cardinals 13 17 9 13 52

Trojans 13 16 19 13 61

Ozburn 3

Cardinals 16 12 21 11 60

Maniacs 13 11 14 21 59

M. Browning 4, C. Thompson 13, G. Hansen 32, K. McWilliams 9, P. Ozburn 2

Cardinals 18 12 15 13 58

Cougars 14 7 17 5 43

M. Browning 3, C. Thompson 24, G. Hansen 17, K. McWilliams 6, J. Horsley 5, P. Ozburn 3

Grace Grizzlies

The Grace Grizzlies began this year's state tournament at noon on Thursday in the very first game of the entire tournament. The Grizzlies earned a tough draw for the opening game as they were matched up against the number one seed and defending state champions the Kendrick Tigers. Even though they were one of the only teams at state to have a losing record the Grizzlies knew they were better than that record showed and they proved it in the early going of this game. The Grizzlies went blow for blow with the top team all through the first quarter and actually led for much of that quarter including at the end where the score was seventeen to sixteen in favor of the Grizzlies. Unfortunately the Grizzlies did not fare as well in the second quarter. Some key players for the Grizzlies got into some foul trouble and Grace struggled to score. As a result the Tigers began to pull away. Kendrick really poured it on in the last two minutes of the half

M. Browning 3, C. Thompson 12, G. Hansen 17, B. Harrison 3, K. McWilliams 10, J. Horsley 4, P.

The Soda Springs Cardinals boys basketball team earned their second consecutive consolation championship last weekend during the state tournament. (Photo credit to Ashley Ozburn)

Senior Konner McWilliams was a force underneath pulling down several rebounds while earning his fair share of buckets.

The Grace Grizzlies boys basketball team survived a hotly contested consolation championship game last weekend during the state basketball tournament.

Senior Cooper Thompson capped off a stellar career for the Cardinals earning player of the game honors in his final high school game.

Senior Gavin Hansen led the Cardinals in scoring over the three day tournament.

BY JODY REEVES

It’s time to name our All County Wrestling Honors. Giving honors in individual sports is a little more difficult than team sports. In a team sport you can have a good player on a team that maybe has not performed well. In that scenario we don't necessarily punish the player. However in individual sports like wrestling you are going one on one and there is a clear winner at the end. Many of the wrestlers on our list faced other wrestlers in the county more than once this season. If a particular wrestler was victorious in those matches it would be hard to justify the other wrestler getting the all county award. I guess what I am saying is that these honors are pretty cut and dry. For this year's All County Honors we will select the top wres -

Wrestling All County Honors Basketball

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where they outscored the Grizzlies nine to three taking an overall lead of fourteen points into the locker room. The Grizzlies were able to score more in the third quarter but some sloppy turnovers still allowed the Tigers to build on their lead. Once again Kendrick made a big push to end the third quarter and finished with a nineteen point lead. The fourth quarter was pretty much more of the same. The Grizzlies made too many errors and could not slow down the Tigers offense. The game ended with both teams putting in the back ups as the Grizzlies suffered the loss.

After losing in the opening round the Grizzlies were sent to the consolation side of the bracket where they faced the Valley Vikings in the consolation semi final. The Vikings came into the game as the defending consolation champions, a position the Grizzlies forced them into last year when Grace knocked them out of the championship side of the bracket on opening day of the tournament. In last year's game the Vikings were the number two seed in the tournament and the Grizzlies were number seven. In this year's match up Valley came in as the fifth seed and Grace as the eighth seed. Grace was seeking another upset while Valley was looking for revenge. This game got off to a bit of a slow start as each team struggled to get shots to fall. When shots did begin to fall more fell for the Vikings and the quarter ended with

tler in each weight class. Although there are some weights where there were no local wrestlers so they will be skipped. In addition to selecting a wrestler for each weight we have also selected an overall All County Wrestler of the Year for both the boys and the girls. We will include each wrestler's record for the year as well as any other accolades they may have received. So without any further ado here are your All County Wrestlers for 2026.

All County Boys Wrestler Of The Year: Elijah Dilworth from Soda Springs. Elijah capped off his senior year with a season record of 45-1 and a state championship. Elijah also earned over 150 wins in his career as well as being a four time district champion as well as a four time state placer. Elijah’s season was near perfect and could not have ended on a higher note.

a Valley lead of seven points. In the second period of play the Grizzlies continued to see some struggles on offense but there was a noticeable difference on the defensive side of the ball for Grace. The Grizzlies only managed thirteen points in the second quarter but held the Vikings to zero. This boosted the Grizzlies past the Vikings for a six point halftime lead. The Grizzlies began the second half much better on offense. In the first two minutes Grace went on a seven to zero run and took the lead to double digits. The Grizzlies kept the throttle on for most of the third quarter finishing with a comfortable fifteen point lead. There was very little change in the fourth quarter as the Grizzlies held a double digit lead throughout and cruised to a thirteen point win breaking the Vikings spirits for the second year in a row.

The semi final win sent the Grizzlies to the consolation championship where they faced off with the Murtaugh Red Devils. Murtaugh made their way to the consolation championship by losing on day one to the three seeded Prairie Pirates then beating the seven seeded Raiders from Rimrock. With the consolation championship trophy on the line the two teams went to work. This game would be a battle throughout with neither team able to definitively pull away from the other. The Grizzlies struck first earning the first five points of the contest and forcing the Red Devils to call timeout. The Red Devils would close the quarter out on a run of their own and take a one

All County Girls Wrestler Of The Year: Bella Eddins from Grace. Bella finished her season with a 47-6 record and a fourth place finish at state. Bella has consistently been one of the top girl wrestlers in the county since taking up the sport. Bella is just a junior this year and no doubt will be back at state next season.

All County Boys Team

120-Beau Jensen (Soda Springs) 14-20

126-Jayden Lunt (Grace) 34-23 state placer

132-Kellen Garbett (Soda Springs) 30-15 state placer

138-Carter Kimball (Grace) 51-5 district champ, state placer

144-Cael Newby (Grace) 22-5 district champ, state placer

150-Douglas Robbins (Grace) 24-24

point lead to the second. The teams continued to battle in the second quarter of play. The Grizzlies did manage to work out to a five point advantage but it would not last as the Red Devils kept answering. As halftime rolled around the game was once again just a one point advantage this time in favor of the Grizzlies. In the third quarter the Grizzlies once again began to sneak away ever so slightly getting up by seven points but once again Murtaugh was able to answer back with some big shots to keep the game within reach. As the third quarter came to a close the Grizzlies held a six point lead. Grace was now just one quarter away from ending their season with a trophy if they could hang on for the win. With just over three minutes left in the season the Grizzlies held a seven point lead and were attempting to close out the game. However the Red Devils were not ready to hand the game over. With under a minute left in the game the lead had been cut to just three points. The good news for Grace was that sophomore standout Carter Mecham was at the line shooting two. Mecham would go just one out of two and the lead went to four. On the ensuing possession the Red Devils hit a deep well defended three to cut the lead to just one point with under thirty seconds left in the game. The Red Devils elected to foul immediately and send senior Chase Smith to the line. Smith with ice in his veins knocked down

165-Haydn Frandsen (North Gem) 34-18 state qualifier

190-Elijah Dilworth (Soda Springs) 45-1 district champ, state champ

215-Carson Cook (Soda Springs) 31-19 state qualifier

285-Mack Jorgensen (Grace) 3920 district champ, state qualifier

All County Girls Team

100-Adeline Clark (Grace) 35-10

115-Hayden Ball (Grace) 38-18 state qualifier

125-Bella Eddins (Grace) 47-6 state placer

130-Laryah Dilworth (Soda Springs) 12-17

135-Holland Ball (Grace) 17-9 state qualifier

140-Brooklyn Dodge (Soda Springs) 24-8 state placer

155-Skyla Cloud (Grace) 41-14 state qualifier

both shots and the lead went back to three. Murtagh moved quickly down the court and got a couple of looks at the basket making one of them and once again cutting the lead to one. Another quick foul sent Smith back to the line where he made his first but missed his second. A desperation heave at the buzzer was off the mark and the Grizzlies survived to win the consolation trophy.

The Grizzlies will lose a solid senior group of players that consisted of four starters who scored a lot of points. They will however return a young team next season that should have a very strong junior class to go along with a couple of senior guards. There should be enough pieces to once again contend for a state appearance next season.

Grizzlies 17 8 16 8 49

Tigers 16 23 21 12 72

K. Kimball 2, K. Edwards 3, G. Draper 2, C. Mecham 15, B. Smith 16, C. Smith 4, P. Yost 7

Grizzlies 8 13 22 13 56

Vikings 15 0 13 15 43

K. Kimball 2, K. Edwards 3, G. Draper 10, C. Mecham 6, B. Smith 15, B. Andersen 3, C. Smith 8, P. Yost 9

Grizzlies 10 17 17 9 53 Red Devils 11 15 14 14 51

K. Edwards 2, G. Draper 4, C. Mecham 8, B. Smith 9, C. Smith 14, P. Yost 16

Grace Junior Bella Eddins is this years All County Girl Wrestler of the Year. (Picture from last years state tournament.)

Soda Springs Senior Elijah Dilworth finished his career with a state championship in his final match. (Picture from last years state tournament.)

Senior Bodee Smith was deadly from beyond the ark down the stretch for the Grizzlies.

Senior Chase Smith hit some clutch free throws in the final seconds of the consolation championship.

Senior point guard Gavin Draper played a crutial role guiding the offense during the Grizzlies tournament run.