The Courier
NEWS
Area Wrestlers Bring Home the Gold
This year’s State Wrestling Championship sent Gold back to Gooding and Wendell. Gooding’s Hudson Rogers (132), Kayd Craig (138), and Tayt Gillette (195) each took first place in their divisions. Logan Anderson (195) took second place, and the Gooding team placed 7th overall in 3A with 117 points. In 2A wrestling, Remington
Winmill (195) brought home Gold for Wendell, and Trent Myers (152) and Gabe Sommers (220) both placed second. Wyatt Flick (113) took a 5th place finish to give the Wendell team 6th place overall in 2A. Dietrich Senior, Wes Shaw (145), took a 3rd place finish for the Blue Devils. Photos: Top Logan Anderson, Bottom Wes Shaw. By Frances Williams
Dietrich & Wendell Take District Championship
The Blue Devil boys took the 1AD2 District Championship with a comanding victory over the Richfield Tigers 80 to 59. Richfield went on to another loss against the Carey Panthers 72 to 59, sending them to the play-in game. The Tigers pulled out a 72 to 58 win against Council giving them a place at the state tournament which begins today at Caldwell High School. Dietrich will play North Gem at 5 p.m. and Richfield will play Timberline at 7 p.m. Wendell’s Trojan Boys took the 2A District Championship with a 47 to 44 win over Valley. The 2A State Tournament will be held at Eagle High School starting Thursday, March 4th. Wendell will face off against New Plymouth at 7 p.m.
News from the Heart of Idaho Camas • Lincoln • Gooding
March 3, 2021
Vol 45 Num 9
Over-Snow Vehicles Closure Fairfield Ranger District
by the Editor Effective immediately, the area from Couch Summit to Fleck Summit and within the Little Smoky Creek drainage will be closed to over-snow vehicle use, including trail grooming activities. Landowners with property within this area or north of Fleck Summit will be required to obtain a permit/ waver to access their property. This action is the result of a U.S. District Court order (February 10, 2021) which reversed the 2018 Forest Service decision regarding over-snow vehicle travel management in the northern portion of the Fairfield Ranger District. In following with Judge David Nye’s ruling, the Forest Service will revert to pre-2018 management. In May of 2019, the Idaho State Snowmobile Association (ISSA) filed a lawsuit challenging the 2018 Forest Service decision, contending that the Forest Service did not follow proper procedure in making that decision. There were three counts in ISSA’s complaint, but only one was found to be valid. In making their decision, the Forest Service did an Enviromental Assessment (EA) but decided to forgo an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). While the EIS was not absolutely necessary, the conclusions made in the EA (according to the judge) lacked sufficent credability based on the research. At issue was the decision to closed off the headwaters of the upper South Fork Boise River and Big Smoky Creek to over-snow vehicles. The main reason for the original closure was to protect wintering elk in the area. Changes in how the elk used this area prompted the Forest Service to open the Couch Summit to Fleck Summit corridore. However, this effectively opened up a large trac of land that was previously inaccessable to most people - the headwaters of the forementioned dranages. These areas are used by wolverines, Canada lynx, and mountian goats, and need protection from wintertime disturbance. The closure of those areas was an effort to balance the wellbeing of wildlife continued on page 4... with demands of winter recreation.