The Courier
News Big Wood Vapors in Gooding
For those who engage in vaping, the closest place to obtain supplies is Jerome or Twin Falls. Tired of the drive from Gooding, Tabatha Eden and her son Ethan saw this as an opportunity for a new business. Apparently, others agree. Big Wood Vapors at 345 Main Street (corner of 4th and Main) in Gooding has been open for just over a week, and already business is booming. Open Monday thru Saturday from 11:30 to 8:00 and Sunday 12 to 6, Big Wood Vapers has wide variety popular vaping devices and flavors. And, if you are just curious about vaping, you are invited to come in and ask all the questions you want. Over the last twenty years, tobacco products have become socially unacceptable in many places. In 2004, Idaho passed the Clean Indoor Air Act which banned smoking in all enclosed public places, except in bars, retail tobacco stores, private clubs, and a few designated areas where minors are not allowed. Since then, a few Idaho municipalities have also banned smoking in bars and private clubs, as well as public outdoor spaces accessible to children. Originally developed to help smokers quit the habit, a “smokeless non-tobacco cigarette” was first invented in 1963. Because tobacco was still popular during that time, it received little attention. In 2001, a Chinese pharmacist invented the modern e-cigarette which was introduced to the Chinese market. These devices started to arrive in the U.S. between 2006 and 2007. The first e-cigarette was the shape of a small cigar, but today they come in all shapes and sizes. The refill liquid or e-juice comes in as many flavors as ever popular Jelly Belly candies. The e-juice also comes in varying levels of nicotine, from 0mg up to 50mg (cigarettes average about 12mg). Vaping produces very little odor and is generally exempt from state smoking bans. However, does that mean vaping is safe? Research done at Johns Hopkins Hospital shows that e-cigarettes are safer. E-cigarettes create a flavored water vapor you inhale while regular tobacco cigarettes contain 7,000 chemicals, many of which are toxic. That said, nicotine is still addictive. Vaping helps many people quit smoking, but they often remain addicted to nicotine. Because of the preceived benifits of vaping over tobacco, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of youth vaping. According to the U.S. Surgeon General 40 percent of high school vapers have never smoked regular tobacco. Ethan at Big Wood Vapers said he knows there are underaged students that vape, but he is not going to sell to them (you have to be 18 to purchase vaping supplies). Both Ethan and Tabatha are careful to check for appropriate identification.
News from the Heart of Idaho Camas • Lincoln • Gooding
April 24, 2019
Vol 43 ~ Num 17
Mormon Reservoir: Great Trout Fishing
By Brian Pearson, Conservation Public Information Specialist Work done at the reservoir greatly improved fishing, but it still faces challenges
Mormon Reservoir near Fairfield recently returned as a destination fishery that produces big trout and lots of them. While older anglers might remember (with a tinge of nostalgia) a time when this was the norm, it hasn’t been the case until a few years back when a series of events helped revive Mormon’s trout fishing. So what changed at Mormon Reservoir that allowed it to once again produce 20-inch trout, and lots of them? There were several factors that contributed to its resurgence. “First, management efforts have been made to reduce the aquatic vegetation that has caused annual winterkills,” said Doug Megargle, Magic Valley Region’s fisheries manager. “Second, planned and opportunistic trout stocking over the past four years have resulted in major increases in trout densities in the reservoir.” Anglers had a particularly impressive year fishing Mormon Reservoir in 2018. Megargle said some anglers reported 60 to 80 fish days, with “a good chunk” of those measuring over 20 inches.
Big Fish Stocking Boost a Boon for Anglers
Megargle explained that what’s most responsible for last year’s outstanding fishing was a massive stocking of 35,000 catchablesized trout in the reservoir in the fall of 2015. “For perspective, consider that we stocked 38,000 combined from 2007 through 2012 at Mormon Reservoir, compared to the 35,000 stocked in one year,” Megargle said. “That unusually high number was the result of fish being diverted from drought-
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National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day Saturday, April 27th ~ 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
CDC data shows half of prescription drug abusers over the age of 12 get them from friends and family. Don’t be an accidental drug dealer. Safely throw out old and unused medications this Saturday during National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. continued on page 2...