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36 Volume 25 Number News from the Heart of Idaho: Camas, Lincoln, and Gooding County
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The Ultimate Fighting Sport
New Tax Collector in Lincoln County If you haven’t paid the second half of your property tax, you have until 5:00 p.m. today, June 20th, to get that done. For those of you in Lincoln County, there is a new face waiting for you at the treasurers office - Ann Youts. Earlier this year the Lincoln County Treasurer, Cathy Gilbert, announced her retirement, and Ann Youts was appointed to take her place. Many of you already know Mrs. Youts as the H.S. English/Art/Speech teacher in Richfield where she taught for eight years. While she loves teaching, this was opportunity she just couldn’t resist. She (as well as the other county tax collectors in our area) are always willing and able to answer your questions (about taxes). All you have to do is ask.
Camas County 208-764-2126 Gooding County 208-934-5673 Lincoln County 208-886-7681
It takes a lot of training to become a Mixed Martial Arts fighter because most of these athletes learn two or more different styles of fighting. Yet, it’s not just about making it to some big time cage match, it’s also about teaching and learning. Bill Hanson and Bryan Sink recently opened Fusion MMA in Gooding as a training facility for themselves, and for others to learn the sport. “Our main goal for the younger kids is to build confidence,” said Mr. Hanson. “and, of course, self control.” Both trainers were adamant that students should not be using martial arts to start fights. “MMA is a sport,” said Mr. Sink. “Not an excuse for causing trouble.” While there were sporting events that combined different styles of fighting as far back as the Greek and Roman times, one of the first organized “mixed style fighting” disciplines was Bartitsu. Founded in London in 1899 by Edward Barton-Wright, Bartitsu combined judo, jujutsu, boxing, savate, and canne de combat (French stick fighting). In the late 1960s, the idea of combining elements of multiple martial arts was popularized on the silver screen by Bruce Lee who believed the best style of fighting borrowed a little something from all styles. Since then, mixed martial arts (MMA) has become an increasingly popular sport. The first Ultimate Fighting Championship was held in 1993, and in 2006 the UFC produced one of the highest pay-per-view sales in the history of television. MMA is sometimes portrayed as a dangerous, no-holds-barred style of fighting, but there were no documented cases of death at a sanctioned MMA event prior to 2007, and only two deaths between 2007 and 2011. This is due mostly to the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts which have kept the injury rates in MMA competitions similar to other combat sports. In fact, some studies show a lower risk of traumatic brain injury in MMA compared to other events. If you are interested in this fun and exciting way to be physically fit, Fusion MMA is located at 337 Main Street in Gooding and is open from 5 to 7 p.m. or call 208-3200469 or 360-747-9124. The monthly fee is $35 for those under 18 and $50 for adults.