The Courier
News
News from the Heart of Idaho Camas • Lincoln • Gooding
December 27, 2017 January 3, 2017
Stanton Crossing: Bridge Construction to Continue
Construction of a new bridge across the Big Wood River along U.S. 20 in southwest Blaine County — known as Stanton Crossing — is largely complete, but additional paving work will be completed in 2018. The majority of work on the bridge was completed in November, including temporary paving and installation of signs and guardrail. However, the final driving surface will not be complete until spring when higher temperatures return. A concrete overlay will be applied to the bridge and final asphalt paving will be completed when weather allows in April or May. “We have had some questions and concerns about the driving surface on the new bridge,” said Project Manager Brock Dille. “We want to assure the public that the work is not complete and the roadway will match expectations once the final surface is applied.” The project to replace the former structure restricted traffic for about a year, starting in December 2016. The new structure, at 274-feet long and 43-feet wide, provides for additional river clearance and stabilization of the river bank. The project also reconstructed access to the Stanton Crossing campground.
Vol 41 ~ Num 52 Vol 42 ~ Num 1
As you can see above, this issue of the Courier News is a combined issue for the last week of 2017 and the first week of 2018, meaning next week has been covered. So, be not alarmed when there are no Courier newspapers at your favorite location... We will be back next year. For those of you who are subscribers, there will be a small rate increase for the delivery of your newspaper next year. For those of you who do not subscribe (or have let your subscription lapse), please consider having the U.S. Postal Service deliver you news on a weekly basis. Happy New Year to one and all!
Twas the Day of Christmas, and Out in the Field...
Christmas day was uniquely beautiful this year. Rain or shine or snow or wind, the dog must be walked, both for her health, her bodily functions, and to expend her puppy energy. Even though she has the appearance of a full grown dog – thirty inches at the shoulders – she is not quite two years old, and my wife and I have at least another year of dealing with the boundless excitement of an immature canine. Eight o’clock on Christmas morn, I bundled up and headed out to the “back forty” to let the dog run with abandonment. The air was still at ground level, but in the sky the clouds were running with the same breakneck speed as the dog. Small patches of blue became larger, and colors danced upon the clouds and the mountains. To the east, the bright yellow of the sun was fighting to break through the dark gray clouds. To the west and the north, pink and red clouds rolled over the hills leaving trails of color on the landscape. Then, in a brief moment, it was all gone. The sun broke through and spread its light full upon
the fields of snow covered grass, and by the time we reached the house at half past eight, the wind began to blow. Christmas this year was unique for another reason as well. Because the dog needs to be walked and fed twice a day, and because there is a hard deadline for putting the newspaper together, I opted to stay at home while my family went to the in-laws. In 1991, I drove to Spokane, Washington, to be with my fiancée for Christmas and to bring her back to Boise where we were both attending school at Boise State University. That following May, we were married. Since then we have never been apart for Christmas. Now, before you begin to feel sorry for me, being alone for an extended time is a great gift for one who writes. You might think that running a newspaper is all about writing, but it’s not. Newspaper publishing is meeting people, designing advertisements, laying out the pages, sending out billings, driving from one community to another to deliver
papers, and somewhere in all of that, I might have time to write a story or two about something that may or may not matter to you. While Christmas means many different things to people, it is first and foremost, a religious holiday set aside to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Over the last 2000 years, we have added a multitude of things to “Christmas” that have nothing to do with the historical event. There is nothing wrong with giving gifts at this time of year, but too often the gifts we give – especially to children – convey the message that “stuff” matters more than relationships. We live in a beautiful world, and even when the weather is less than desirable, walking the dog is a peaceful moment to observe the things that make Southern Idaho an amazing place to live. But, no matter how incredible the view may be, the dog never seems to notice. She only knows she is spending time with that funny looking human who takes care of her. What more could I have asked for in a gift on Christmas day. from the Editor