Caribou’s Kallie Stoddard becomes Idaho’s DYW!
LEATHERMAN, CARIBOU COUNTY DYW CHAIR
WITH MYRA
The winner of this year’s Caribou County DYW is now the reigning Idaho DYW after an amazing competition in Idaho Falls over the weekend. Kallie Stoddard of Grace was named the official state Distinguished Young Woman after a long night of intense competition.
The state program was held on October 10-11, 2025 at the Frontier Center (formally Civic center) in Idaho Falls. Kallie arrived in Idaho falls Sunday the 5th, and then had a week of practices to learn the opening number, fitness and Self Expression routines. Kallie stayed with a host family along with another participant. Also during that week, they worked on interview skills and a service project for The Village. As part of the project, Kallie collected items for diaper bags and makeup bags.
On Thursday afternoon, Kallie had her 10 minute interview with the judges. Friday evening was the first of two preliminary showcases. There were 36 girls from across the state, all competing for the title of 2026 Distinguished Young Woman of Idaho. Kallie performed in Fitness and Self Expression. Saturday morning, Kallie performed her talent, Moonlight Sonata: Third Movement. The finals were held Saturday night. Kallie was named one of the top ten participants where she would have the opportunity to perform her fitness routine, her talent and responded to a topic she picked out from a bowl of topics.
Kallie was awarded the following (each category had 5 winners): Be Your Best Self award ( prior to which she had to submit a video), Fitness award, Talent award, Scholastic award, and Interview award.
At the end of the night, she was then named Distinguished Young Woman of Idaho 2026. Stoddard will go on to compete in the national competition June 25-27, 2026 in Mobile, Alabama.
The Caribou County Distinguished Young Women competition was held in the spring, with emcees Dana McCurdy and the 2024-2025 Distinguished Young Woman, Kate Williams. During the course of the Caribou DYW, Kallie was awarded the Inspire Award, Fitness Award, Self-Expression Award, Talent Award, Scholastic Achievement Award, and the Interview Award.
Founded in 1958, Distinguished Young Women is a free program that encourages participants to reach their full indi-
vidual potential. Its mission is to empower young women by providing over $1 billion in scholarship opportunities, connecting with a nationwide network of women, developing their self-confidence, and participating in Life Skills Workshops that prepare them for success after high school. Local sponsors include the Chadwick Foundation, Caribou County, Bayer, Bear River Electric, Caribou Ford, Caribou Medical Center, City of Soda Springs, Diagnostic Imaging, Itafos, Liberty Chryselr Dodge Jeep Ram, Mountain View Dental, Point S, Rigby Plumbing, Straight Forward, Advantge Plus FCU, Gibbs Farm, Idan-ha Indoor Theater, Lallatins, Mountain States Insurance, Perk’s Electric, Sanders Furniture, Scoular Grain, Soda Springs Rotary Club, STAR Physical Therapy, Torgesen and Sons, US Bank, Valley Implement, Custom Iron, and Denny Lee Tire.
National sponsors include Mobile County, City of Mobile, Barbara Barrington Jones Family Foundation, Alabama Power Foundation, Gant Travel Management, Regions Financial Corporation, The Coffeen Family, John Cauley Jeweler, Jostens and Alabama Media Group.
DYW chairperson Myra Leatherman would like to thank the many local community sponsors of the program, especially the Lions Club of Soda Springs. A special thank you to the committee members, parents of the participants, stage and sound crew, and all who supported the 2025 Caribou County DYW program.
Kallie Stoddard joins an amazing group from the last quarter decade, which includes: 2025 Kate Williams; 2024 Genevieve Fullmer; 2023 Hannah Evans; 2022 Lana Burrell; 2021 Maniah Clegg; 2020 Becca Lau; 2019 Reagan Yamauchi; 2018 Megan McCullough; 2017 Danielle Clegg; 2016 Rylee Mansfield; 2015 Maysa Holyoak; 2014 Kelsey Yamauchi; 2013 Brooke Hegemann; 2012 Bethany Christensen; 2011 Marie Settler; 2010 Vanessa Vranes; 2009 Katie McGregor; 2008 Kayla Franson; 2007 Haiden Siepert; 2006 Kiriana Finlayson; 2005 Calista Johnson; 2004 Amanda Martinsen; 2003 Anna Torgesen; 2002 Berlin Kowallis; 2001 Rachael Call; 2000 Jessica Ozburn.
Election Forums next week; Early voting underway
November 4th 2025 election is rapidly approaching, and while there are no countywide elections on the ballot, municipal elections in Bancroft, Grace, and Soda Springs are all contested at the mayoral level and for some city council seats.
In Bancroft and Soda Springs, the mayors LuCus Spencer and Auston Robinson are not seeking re-election, meaning that whatever the outcome there will be a new executive in 2026. In Grace, current mayor Jackie Barthlome is running against Dave Pristupa for the position.
A “Meet the Candidates” event was held recently in Bancroft at the Trading Post, where candidates for the open positions were able to speak with members of the community.
In Grace, a candidate forum has been scheduled for 6:00 p.m. on October 23rd at the American Legion building. The candidates will have the chance to present their plans for the next mayoral term and take questions from an audience of voters.
In Soda Springs, The Rotary Club
of Soda Springs and Caribou County Farm Bureau are co-hosting a Candidate Forum on Thursday, October 23rd at 6:30 pm in the commons area of Tigert Middle School, 250 E 3rd South. All candidates for Soda Springs City Council and for Mayor have been invited and agreed to attend. In addition, all candidates have agreed that respectful questions can be submitted through social media in the comments and if time permits, will provide written responses that can be posted online prior to the 23rd.
Early voting for the November 4, 2025 local elections begins as early as today in some counties in Idaho and runs through October 31. To see if early voting is offered in your area and to find your county’s schedule, visit voteidaho.gov/election-information or contact your local elections office.
“Early voting is now underway in many Idaho counties ahead of the November 4 local elections. Whether you vote early, absentee, or on Election Day, I encourage every eligible Idahoan to participate. Local elec-
tions play a critical role in shaping our communities,” said Idaho Secretary of State Phil McGrane.
Any eligible resident of a county may vote at any early voting location in that county. If you are not yet registered to vote, you can register and cast your ballot at early voting by bringing an accepted form of photo ID and proof of residence. For many voters, a current Idaho driver’s license will meet both requirements.
Before heading to the polls, check your sample ballot at VoteIdaho.gov.
Not every Idahoan will have something on their ballot this November. Local taxing districts operate on different schedules, and their boundaries don’t always follow neighborhood lines. You might have an election, even if your next-door neighbor does not. More information about the upcoming election can be found at VoteIdaho.gov.
Sample Ballots and an election preview will be published in the paper prior to the election, which again is on the first Tuesday in November, November 4.
Arbon Valley woman turns painful skin allergies into all-natural soap business
When severe skin allergies left Arbon Valley resident Sarah Jensen searching for relief, she never imagined it would lead to a thriving business. After years of battling painful rashes triggered by commercial soaps and detergents, Jensen began experimenting with natural ingredients in her kitchen. Using goat’s milk, essential oils, and locally sourced herbs, she created gentle, all-natural soaps that soothed her sensitive skin. Friends and family soon noticed the difference and began requesting bars of their own. What started as a personal remedy has grown into Sage Valley Soaps, a small business with a loyal following across Idaho. Jensen now sells her products at farmers markets and online, emphasizing transparency and sustainability. “My goal is to help others who struggle like I did,” she said. “Natural doesn’t have to mean expensive, it just means honest.” Her journey proves that healing can inspire innovation.
AccuWeather Predicts Stormy, Active Winter for the Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is bracing for a stormy and active winter, according to AccuWeather’s latest long-range forecast. Meteorologists predict a series of strong systems beginning in December, bringing above-normal precipitation and early mountain snowpack across the Cascades and northern Rockies. While the region is expected to see frequent bouts of rain and snow, warmer sea surface temperatures in the Pacific could limit snowfall at lower elevations. However, higher terrain will likely experience repeated snow events that could boost water supplies heading into spring. AccuWeather forecasters also anticipate that January and February will bring another surge of storms, with the jet stream shifting northward to deliver heavy precipitation and occasional flooding risks. Residents are urged to prepare for fluctuating conditions, including potential travel disruptions, localized flooding, and rising heating costs as temperatures dip below seasonal averages.
3rd Grade Class Gets Magical Disney on Ice Surprise for Feel Good Friday
IDAHO FALLS. A third-grade teacher and her entire class received a heartwarming surprise when Disney on Ice performers visited their school for “Feel Good Friday.” The students were overjoyed as characters from beloved Disney movies danced and sang, bringing magic right into their classroom. The teacher, known for her dedication and kindness, was nominated by parents for the special event. Organizers said the surprise was meant to celebrate educators who make a difference. The day ended with free tickets for the class to attend the upcoming Disney on Ice show in their city.
2025 Caribou DYW Kate Williams with 2026 State DYW Kallie Stoddard
The
Kallie Stoddard this weekend at State DYW. Photo credit Kade Price.
Large Crowd turns out for Grace Clinic groundbreaking
Last year, the Caribou Medical Center announced plans to build a clinic to serve the community of Grace. On Monday, the ground was finally broken on the construction part of the project.
CEO Kent Loosle welcomed the crowd to a temporary pavilion set up in the Grace City Park. He acknowledged the members of the board, city and county officials, Hospital Ambassadors, the Grace HS Band, and CMC employees.
Mayor Jackie Barthlome gave an overview of the history of Grace’s doctors. She began with Dr. John Hyrum Hubbard in 1910, and traced through the history of the doctors who had served the community up through the late 80s. “After that, for fifteen years the city of Grace did not have a doctor. And then, in 2003, the wonderful Brett Smith moved to Caribou County. Caribou Memorial decided to bring a doctor back to Grace for a couple days a week. He has been practicing a couple days a week for us, and it is so nice to have him here, with the convenience of having a doctor here in town. We are very thankful. Now that we are getting a fulltime clinic, we are excited to have this wonderful resource here, and thank Caribou Medical Center for choosing the city of Grace.”
Brett Smith then spoke. “Boy, it’s
been a blessing here for me and my family. When we came here in October of 2002 we didn’t really know what to expect…it was really interesting in the beginning. John Hoopes, our CEO at the time, said ‘I want you to go down to Grace and I want you to be part of the town. I want you to open a clinic there, and here’s a credit card and we’re going to be in the back two rooms of the dental clinic there, and go buy what you need. Back then I was straight out of school, and that was pretty scary for me at the time. It was like drinking from a fire hydrant—I had just gotten out of school and was experiencing real life for the first time.”
He continued, “I have just grown and I love this community. We put our roots down deep. I love Grace. I’ve been here 23 years, and I want to be buried here! Love all you guys. Love serving you. I look forward to serving you for the next twenty plus years. It’s just an amazing place to live, to raise our kids, and I’ve grown to love all of you as friends, community members, patients. And you’ve raised my kids too, and I’m so grateful. They say it takes a community to raise kids, and it truly has been that for us. We came here with two kids, and we only have one left in the home. Angie and I are grateful for how the community has received us,
and we just love it. We are also grateful for this opportunity to upgrade the clinic and put this Grace clinic here. It’s your clinic, and we are here to serve you. We look forward to doing that. I want to thank Kent Loosle, who has been amazing at getting this done, and Dillon Liechty too. We’re hoping that we can keep the care here local so that you don’t have to go elsewhere. Appreciate you guys, and thank you!”
Kent Loosle himself spoke a bit about how the hospital has been growing over the last two years. “In the last two years, we have seventeen new providers in the network. We have pain specialists, family service providers, neurosurgeons, spine surgeons, sports medicine doctors, women’s services…we’ve really grown. What we’re asking the community to do is to help us grow by supporting our local providers here in the valley. In the last two years, we’ve grown our volumes by 69 percent, and we’ve created 57 new jobs, which is great for economic development. We’re excited about that. When you build a building here, it’s for a long time.
Today, we’re builders, and tomorrow we’ll be builders. Our goal is not just to build the clinic, but to build a whole new hospital. And to build a new hospital, we’ll need the support
of the community.”
Curtis Toone, Grace City Councilmember, took a minute to approach the microphone and say a few words about Kent Loosle. “When we needed a new CEO, we had 63 applicants,” he said. “Kent quickly came to the top of that list. He has built hospitals in the western part of Idaho and the northern part of Utah. He built a small 25 bed hospital in the shadow of the Intermountain Hospital and he was pulling patients away from them. We are so blessed that he chose to leave Utah for the peace and serenity of Soda Springs, Idaho and help us take a hospital we were on the cusp of turning inward on. But Kent brought a new vision, and he said that he wanted to expand. He’s been a breath of fresh air with a lot of energy, and new ideas, and he’s got great nurses and doctors. So we’re hoping that instead of going north to Pocatello or south to Preston, you’ll give CMC and opportunity a chance to show you what Kent and his staff have put together here!”
Following the remarks, city and county officials, hospital employees from Grace, and others joined in the ceremonial turning of the shovel. Afterward, the crowd mingled and ate burgers while the Grace High School Band played through the evening.
Think Pink brunch promotes lifesaving message
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and hospitals across the country are spreading the word about the importance of screenings and letting people know that there is support out there. Early detection is the key to survivable diagnoses, and the more comfortable people are at discussing cancer as a disease, the more likely they are to commit to screenings and prevention.
Caribou Medical Center went hard with that concept Friday, where Tigert Middle School was the site of the Think Pink Brunch. This year’s event replaced the “Brake for Breakfast” events that have been a part of October’s Breast Cancer awareness events for the hospital in the past.
“We really wanted to move to a more interactive style event, where instead of sitting in cars, people would be able to meet directly with the providers, ask
questions, and really feel that support was available,” CMC’s Erika Dannelly said.
Local breast cancer survivor Valerie Bolton was the keynote speaker, and shared her experience with the large crowd who gathered over an amazing brunch early Friday morning.
“The treatment is great here, when you do it in Soda Springs,” Bolton said. “I knew I was in really good hands with everyone. Dealing with cancer can seem like such a long trip, but not when it’s just across town.” Bolton opened up about some of what she had gone through dealing with her cancer, and how she had been successful as a result of the skill of her care providers and her own faith.
New provider Patricia Conner spoke about the new Lakeview Urgent Care Clinic, which is scheduled to officially
open on November 1. The clinic will be provide walk-in access to those with immediate medical needs. Conner will be one of the providers for the clinic, along with Aaron Hobbs and a supporting staff. “We will be getting people in sooner who need help right away,” Conner said.
Heidi Walker spoke about new longevity and wellness facilities for CMC, which will provide advanced diagnostics and focusing “not just on lifespan, but on healthspan.”
The room was filled with pink shirts, dresses, hats, coats, and the steady buzz of a wonderful morning spent among friends and providers.
CMC and a host of dignitaries prepare for the ceremonial first shovels full.
Grace’s Brett Smith was the featured speaker for the clinic groundbreaking.
Valerie Bolton spoke about her experience as a cancer survivor, and the care she received locally from Caribou Medical Center.
Patricia Conner (Left) is a new provider with CMC. She will be working at the new urgent care facility are Lakeview B Clinic in Soda Springs.
An amazing brunch was put on to let people meet with providers, ask questions, and get information about CMC service lines.
Rod Worthington—Soda Springs City Council
Why Am I Running for City Council?
When evaluating candidates for public office, I always rank them based on their answers to the following three questions: 1.) Who are they? 2.) Why are they running? and 3.) What do they “bring to the table”? As I campaign for one of the two open City Council seats in November’s election, please allow me to briefly provide this information.
I am Rod Worthington, a proud fifth-generation Idahoan who’s had the privilege of living in Soda Springs for 30 years. I was born in American Falls, Idaho and graduated from Ricks College, Idaho State University, and University of Idaho. My wife Dawn and I have been married for nearly 34 years, with two grown daughters, and we have celebrated the birth of our two grandchildren. My wife and I were hired as teachers in the Soda Springs School District 30 years ago. I am currently the “High-Five” Principal at Howard E. Thirkill Elementary, and I get to work with over 300 hundred of our littlest, but most passionate, citizens in our small community that fondly call me “Mr. Dub”. I can honestly and fondly say that I’ve never been to a place I’d rather call home than Soda Springs!
As far as my motivation for running, first and foremost, I’ve always been a strong believer in community involvement. As citizens of this great city, state, and country, I feel we have an obligation to do whatever we can to improve where we live. I have served on the City of Soda Springs Planning & Zoning Commission for eight years and currently as City Councilmen for nearly four years. These experiences have given me the chance to participate in fixing processes that were broken or improving those that weren’t. My goal as the Vice-Chair of the Planning & Zoning and as a City Councilman has always been to be open to new perspectives from the public, but also protect the rights of all landowners. As a current and future City Councilman my goal is to work closely with the mayor and fellow councilmen and bring “fresh-eyes” to the complexities of running a small rural community.
So, what do I “bring to the table”? First, I bring I strong love for our community and a great apprecia -
tion for the good folks who work to keep our city streets maintained, our city lights burning bright, the water running out of our faucets, and our waste water contained. This appreciation continues for those who respond to the late-night emergency calls to keep our families safe and healthy 24 hours a day. As a commissioner for eight years on the planning & zoning, I was privileged to assist in reviewing and updating the City of Soda Springs Comprehensive Plan. After four years, countless revisions, a community wide survey, and the consideration of hundreds of public comments a new plan was adopted by the city council in February 2020. It was a privilege and an honor to work with the dedicated commissioners and the passionate public who had a part in updating our city’s comprehensive plan and a plan I reference often as a current City Councilman. I will continue to apply the same love, appreciation, and dedication as a future City Councilman for the next four years.
Our city faces a number of issues in the upcoming years as we continue to upgrade our water, sewer, and power grid needs. As a city we must continue to address environmental impacts to the groundwater from neighboring industrial sites and meet ever stricter compliance rules from regulatory agencies. Finally, we must proactively encourage responsible growth for future housing needs. If you feel my experience and skill-set will assist our mayor and city council as they tackle these upcoming challenges, I’d appreciate your vote on Tuesday, November 4th!
Election Letter Policies
With the election three weeks out, candidates who would like to submit their Bio and introduction to the voters are welcome to do so by next week:
For Candidates
All candidates, for any position on the ballot whether it is contested or not, are invited to submit a “candidate introduction” of up to 750 words with one picture. Feel free to speak to your potential voters about your experience, your plans for the future, and what you would like your community to know about you and your candidacy. Please focus on the positive message of what you, yourself, bring to the table. Avoid the negative messaging tied to any other candidates running.
Any materials after the introductory submission will be considered advertising materials, and treated as such. Any news coverage that happens in the normal course of events involving a candidate is not considered advertising. Candidates are welcome to submit Letters to the Editor in support of other candidates, or in response to materials related to their respective races should they feel a need to clarify or respond to any issues that have been raised, within reason.
For the Community
Letters to the editor will gladly be printed from anyone who wishes to submit them, with the following stipulations: each writer will be limited
Ryan Carpenter—Soda Springs City Council
I’m Ryan Carpenter and I’m seeking reelection on the Soda Springs City Council. I want to thank the citizens of Soda Springs for putting your faith and trust in me for the past four years. It has been my honor to serve our community. I have used this opportunity to continue educate myself, and hopefully my fellow citizens, in the intricacies of how cities are operated and governed.
I believe I’m not alone in recognizing how special and unique our community is. I hope that each of us can continue to contribute to our town in our own ways to keep Soda Springs a special place.
If reelected, I will continue to balance our small town values with growth and new opportunities. I believe we are still fairly undiscovered, which allows us the chance to make smart and informed decisions concerning growth before we are forced to.
I have enjoyed getting to know some of my fellow citizens better as a council member. I don’t know if I would have been able to foster these relationships otherwise. I want to assure you that your voice matters. I like to hear from you, even when it’s a voice of frustration.
I’m excited to be a part of projects that enhance Soda Springs and our quality of life. I continually look for
ways to improve how the city operates and allocates its funds. I recognize where these funds come from, and do my best to judiciously and wisely consider the best use of them. I invite you to the public forum October 23 at 6 pm to be held at Tigert Middle School hosted by the Rotary Club. This is an excellent opportunity to hear from all the candidates on topics that are pertinent to our city.
November 4th is your chance to help set the path for Soda Springs moving forward. I would appreciate you allowing me to once again be a part of this process as one of your city council members.
to one letter of support for each candidate. In the event that there are a number of support letters that present similar statements of support, they may be edited for length or a representative example may be selected for the same reason.
Letters, like candidate statements, should avoid directly negative characterizations or denigratory statements about specific candidates. Addressing relevant issues is certainly fine, but avoid personal attacks and elevate the discourse to a civil and polite level.
Calendar
This year’s election will take place on November 4, and the Enterprise will honor the Caribou County Sun’s tradition of not running letters or candidate statements the Thursday before the election (October 30) in order to make sure that candidates are not left without a chance to respond to anything raised right before the election. The final publication date for letters and profiles will be October 23. Advertisements that simply present the candidate’s name/information to the voters will be accepted through October 30.
Contact
Any candidate or community member who would like to submit materials to the Enterprise can send them to brandon.h@idahoenterprise.com, or mail them to P.O. Box 331, Soda Springs, ID, 83276.
Thirkill PTO Fun Run raises over $27K for students
The recently completed Thirkill Fun Run event is the largest fundraiser of the year for the Thirkill PTO, and the funds raised through the students’ efforts are used toward purchasing materials for educational resources, supplies, teacher requests for materials, and any number of things that help make the school the welcoming and successful place that it is.
This year, students raised an astounding $27,138.83 during the event. Students asked adults relatives and friends, as well as businesses, to pledge a certain amount of money for each lap that they ended up completing. After an exhilarating day, the following results were recorded:
The Top Two Earners from across
the school were Emily Lauck (Afternoon Peterson), and Zane Larsen (Wistisen).
The Top Two Hustlers (who contacted the largest number of people), were Addysen Green (S. Harris), who contacted 29 people, and Alyssa Dimick, who contacted 33. 22 students cross the $250 threshold for the Maverik Gift Card. 57 students crossed the $100 threshold for Boogie Boards. 39 students crossed the $50 threshold for Soda Sip cards. 49 students raised the $20 for the Bowling Passes from The Alley.
The top runners by age were as follows:
Preschool—Elliot (James--18 laps), and Clyde (James--18 laps).
AM Kindergarten—Cam Cole (Pe-
Bingo Night for families scheduled for Saturday
Cohlee Winward and Bonnie Speas have been working with the Soda Springs School district to coordinate activities between the community at large, students, parents, and other stakeholders to provide a shared sense of purpose and support in education.
This Saturday, they are hosting a Bingo night at Tigert Middle School from 6 to 8 p.m. The event is designed to provide friends and families a fun and entertaining way to spend time together as the weather begins to get colder and the dark sets in earlier. There will be bingo games throughout the evening, as well as
Friends of the Soda Springs Public Library are hard at work prepping for this year’s Festival of Trees, and still have room for businesses and other additional tree sponsors who may have been waiting until the last minute. Since the timeframe for the Festival was moved up this year, the minute is getting more last by the second. There is still, however, a very small amount of time to arrange for a tree in the Festival. This year’s festival will be held in Enders, as opposed to the library, and the larger space allows for more trees.
treats and other activities.
A Winter Coat Exchange program is also planned for the next two months. Winters coats, hats, scarves, boots, gloves, and other winter items can be donated at and Soda Springs School as well as the Soda Springs Public Library from October 13 through October 24. The items do not need to be new, just clean and in good condition. The clothing will be sorted and made available for pickup on November 7 from 11-1 at Tigert Middle School.
For more information about either of these events, contact Cohlee or Bonnie at (208) 547-4426.
By October 17th (Friday!), those interested can contact the Friends of the Library to declare plans to commit to decorating a tree on their own and donating it to the Festival, or ordering a tree to be decorated by the Friends of the Library or Library staff.
The trees will be auctioned to raise funds to support the library’s programming throughout the year.
The Friends can be contacted at https://www.sslibraryfriends.com or by visiting or calling the library in Soda Springs. (208) 547-2606 is the number.
terson) with 22 laps. Kyson Gibson (Peterson) with 22 laps. Norah Bushman (Ineck) with 20 laps.
PM Kindergarten—Benjamin Bronson (Ineck) with 22 laps. Lainey Lundquist (Peterson) with 23 laps.
1st Grade—Rocco Burns (Gentry) with 24 laps. Beau Doxey (Gentry) with 24 laps. Landry Marowelli (Wistisen) with 24 laps. Morgan Burger (Wistisen) with 24 laps. Elijah Brown (Wistisen) with 24 laps.
2nd Grade—Elijah Teeples (Burger) with 26 laps. Evan Mix (Walker), 30 laps. Aspen Erickson (C. Harris), 28 laps.
3rd Grade—Kenadi Davis (Fullmer), 27 laps. Eli Lundquist (Fullmer), 27 laps. Michael Gelinsky
(Teuscher), 30 laps.
4th Grade—Josie Mix (Herron), 30 laps. Grayson Lakey (Clarke), 26 laps. Sistine Burns (S. Harris), 26 laps. Addysin Green (S. Harris), 26 laps. Jordan Parker (S. Harris), 26 laps. Tucker Wageman (S. Harris), 26 laps.
Major sponsors for the event included Maverik, Broulims, Ace Hardware, Soda Smiles with Dr. Matt Kunz, Baked Fresh Sourdough Bakery, Caribou Medical Center, Wicked Brew, Mountain View Dental, Soda Sip, Bayer, Island Ice, Kiewitt, the Alley, the Sticker Lab, Itafos, and the Henry Store.
Congratulations to the students of Thirkill on their amazing accomplishment!
Arts and Crafts Sampler Series underway
BY JEANNINE ROBINETT, ROBINETT STUDIO
As part of the recent expansion of their arts education programs, The Robinett Studio in Soda created an Arts and Crafts Sampler Series that is running now through the end of November. Envisioned as a way to help participants explore new ways to use their creativity, these low-cost classes offer basic techniques and the opportunity to make something that can be used as a gift or decoration for the holiday season.
We kicked off the series with a card making class with Kelly Bagshaw and a Zentangle class with Lucia Marie Crane.
Other classes in the series include: Quilting with Grace Maxwell Majors Thursday, October 23, 6:30 PM Foil Masks with Jeannine Robinett Saturday, October 25, 10:00-12:00 Beginning Sewing with Crystal Galloway Thursday, October 30, 6:30PM Plastic Canvas Ornaments with Ann Robinett Saturday, November 8, 10-12 Beginning Crochet with Kalea Christman Saturday, November 15, 10-12
Beginning Embroidery with Jeannine Robinett
Saturday, November 22, 10 AM
Discounts are available when you register for multiple classes in the series. For all the details about the classes and to register, please go to TheRobinettStudio.com and click on the “Art” tab or email Jeannine at TheRobinettStudio@gmail.com. Other art programs currently running at the studio are Let’s Make Art Club, Open Arts and Crafts, and a new punch card option for using the art room.
The Robinett Studio hosts Nona McCurdy’s Let’s Make Art Club for homeschool kids on Wednesday mornings. Nona and her class will be painting a new mural in the art room.
Our Open Arts and Crafts program meets on the 3rd Saturday of each month. Open Arts and Crafts encourages imagination, creativity, and fun. Students of all ages can take inspiration from other art in the studio, prompts of colors or themes, or they can craft something that is uniquely their own.
Students cheered on as their classmates were recognized for the most laps
Idaho is a major international ag force
BY ALLISON ELIASON
Idaho agriculture is stepping onto the world stage. Governor Brad Little recently traveled to the United Kingdom to promote Idaho’s agricultural products and build relationships with British buyers, joining national efforts to expand American farm exports under a newly announced U.S.–UK trade deal.
The timing of the trip coincided with a major announcement from the White House marking the 80th anniversary of Victory Day, where President Trump and Prime Minister Starmer unveiled a historic trade agreement designed to open UK markets to American goods while strengthening both countries’ economic and national security ties.
“This deal includes billions of dollars of increased market access for American exports, especially in agriculture,” President Trump said during the announcement. “It will dramatically increase access for American beef, ethanol, and virtually all of the products produced by our great farmers.”
toes, beef, dairy, and specialty crops — all of which stand to benefit from the new trade framework.
By JoAnn Derson
“This is a great opportunity for Idaho agriculture,” Governor Little said. “We’re proud to see American farmers gaining fair access to overseas markets, and Idaho is ready to lead the way.”
Under the agreement, the United Kingdom will reduce or eliminate numerous non-tariff barriers that have historically limited American farm exports. The deal is expected to create a $5 billion opportunity for new U.S. exports, including more than $700 million in ethanol and $250 million in beef and other agricultural goods.
Prime Minister Starmer described it as “a deal that will boost trade between our countries, protect jobs, and create new ones by opening market access.”
Governor Little’s UK mission builds directly on that momentum. The Idaho State Department of Agriculture joined him to highlight the state’s signature products — pota-
In 2024, Idaho exported nearly $3 million in agricultural products to the UK, about 70% of which were processed potatoes. The new trade terms could help Idaho diversify those exports, opening opportunities for beef, dairy, grains, and ethanol-based products.
The deal also includes provisions to streamline customs procedures, establish higher standards in labor and environmental practices, and create secure supply chains for key sectors such as aerospace and pharmaceuticals — policies designed to stabilize U.S. trade and manufacturing.
For Idaho’s farmers and ranchers, expanded access to the UK represents more than just numbers on a trade sheet — it’s a sign that small communities can compete globally when given the chance. While some challenges remain, such as shipping
BRAIN TEASERS
costs and regulatory alignment, local producers see this as groundwork that could pay off for years to come. By the numbers, Idaho agriculture contributes over $20 billion annually to the state’s economy with more than 20% of Idaho farm products being sold to international markets. The local ag industry supports one in every eight Idaho jobs. Idaho’s top agricultural exports include potatoes and processed potato products, beef cattle, dairy products, wheat and barley, hay and other forages, and specialty crops such as onions, beans, and sugar beets.
As Idaho continues to promote its agricultural excellence, the combination of national trade policy and local initiative could usher in new growth for the state’s number-one industry. Opening up trade agreements with the UK matters to Idaho agriculture because it is one of the world’s largest importers of food products. British consumers value traceable, sustainably produced food—areas where Idaho excels. Strengthening these trade ties helps keep Idaho farms competitive and connected in the global marketplace.
• No apron? No problem. String a dishtowel around your waist using a belt, a bungee cord or a simple ribbon.
• “Want the smells of the season? Here’s a great herbal tea that doubles as a whole-house fragrance: Combine one orange cut up, a cinnamon stick, a pinch of ground cloves and nutmeg with a few fresh cranberries and enough water to cover. Boil and waft. Then cool and drink! Happy fall.” — A.D. in New Hampshire
• “Dentists say to replace your toothbrush every two months, but they DON’T say to get rid of the old one. There are plenty of good uses for it. In the bathroom and kitchen to clean around the sink. Or for scrubbing stains after you dip it in pretreater. Just make sure you mark it well”. — V.E. in Washington
• Use baking soda to clean your stainless steel sink. It is a mild abrasive and will remove gunk and make the sink shine.
• For use when camping: Mix together your dry spices and carefully pour into a straw. You must fold over the end and secure it with tape. Do the same to the other side to seal and you can stick it right in a plastic bag for use at the campsite. You can have many spices without having to bring a bunch of jars. Steaks taste terrific, or maybe you like cinnamon sugar for oatmeal or on baked apple.
• Here’s a tip to preserve an arrangement of greens, maybe the last of the season for some of you: Spray with hairspray. Arrange and spray again. Send your tips to Now Here’s a Tip, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803.
© 2025 King Features Synd., Inc.
EVENT CALENDARS
SODA SPRINGS CARIBOU COUNTY
Friday, October 17th
Caribou County Senior Dinner
Bridge @ The Senior Center
Catholic Daily Mass (9am)
IDAN-HA Movie
HS FB @ Wendall
Parent Teacher Conferences
Saturday, October 18th
IDAN-HA Movie
HS VB Districts
Sunday, October 19th
Presbyterian Services--
Frederick Partey will be speaking on the well projects in Ghana at 11:30 a.m.Caribou Bible
Church Services
Catholic Mass (8:30am)
Open Arms Church Services
LDS Services
Hope Lutheran Church
Monday, October 20th
Catholic Daily Mass (9am)
Wednesday, October 22nd
Caribou County Senior Dinner
Pinochle @ The Senior Center
Catholic Daily Mass (9am)
Children Story Time @ Library
10:30am or 11:30am
IDAN-HA Movie Board Meeting @7
HS XC Districts
Thursday, October 23rd
Catholic Daily Mass (6:30pm)
HS VB Districts
GRACE
Friday, October 17th
Make- Up day (if needed)
HS Football BYE Week
Sunday, October 19th
LDS Services
Monday, October 20th
Preschool Story Hour @ Library
10:30am
PTO Fall Book Fair
HS VB District Tournament
Tuesday, October 21st
PTO Fall Book Fair
HS VB District Tournament
Wednesday, October 22nd
PTO Fall Book Fair
HS VB District Tournament
HS XC Districts (TBA)
Thursday, October 23rd
PTO Fall Book Fair
HS VB District Tournament
HS XC Districts (TBA)
BANCROFT
Friday, October 17th
MS FB @ Watersprings
HS FB @ Watersprings
Saturday, October 18th VB Districts
Sunday, October 19th
LDS Services
ON THIS DAY
1829 Tremont Hotel, first US modern hotel opens (Boston)
1869 Hotel in Boston becomes first to have indoor plumbing
1875 Brigham Young University is founded in Provo, Utah
1901 Booker T. Washington and his family are invited to dine at the White House with Teddy and Edith Roosevelt, prompting condemnation from the South
1916 Margaret Sanger opens first birth control clinic in the US at 46 Amboy St. Brooklyn
1923 John Harwood patents self-winding watch (Switzerland)
1972 American rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival break up
1973 “The Way We Were”, directed by Sydney Pollack and starring Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford, premieres in New York City
1982 Mt. Palomar Observatory first to detect Halley’s comet on 13th return
1987 18-month-old Jessica McClure is rescued, 58 hours after falling 22’ into a well shaft in Midland, Texas
1992 “Gilligan’s Island” TV pilot, filmed in 1963, is first shown on TV (TBS)
2023 Model of a Star Wars X-wing Starfighter used in a “Star Wars” film sells for over $3 million from collection of Hollywood model maker Greg Jein
LUNCH MENUS
SODA SPRINGS LUNCH MENU
Lunches served with Fruit, Veggies & Milk
Monday, October 20
BBQ rib sandwich, chips, fruit, veggies, and milk
Tuesday, October 21
Stuffed cheesy breadstick, tomato soup, fruit, veggies, and milk
Wednesday, October 22
Teriyaki chicken, fried rice, fruit, veggies, and milk
Thursday, October 23
Crispito, tortilla chips, fruit, veggies, and milk
NORTH GEM LUNCH MENU
Milk and Choice of Bar Each Day
Monday, October 20
Biscuits and Gravy, Orange Chicken W/Rice, Deli Bar, Stir Fry Veggies/ Pineapple
Tuesday, October 21
Bbq Western Burger, Deli Bar, Baked Beans, Peach Parfaits
Wednesday, October 22
Taco Soup w/ Cornbread, Deli Bar, Roasted Squash, Mixed Fruit
Thursday, October 23
Sloppy Joes, Tator Tot Casserole, Deli Bar, Spinach Salad/ Pears
GRACE LUNCH MENU
Lunches served with Milk
Monday, October 20
HAMBURGER, Tots, FOOD CHOICES: Veggie Sticks, Mandarin Oranges
Tuesday, October 21
QUESADILLA, FOOD CHOICES: Seasoned Black Beans, Corn, Peaches
Wednesday, October 22
CORN DOG, Mac & Cheese, FOOD CHOICES: Country Vegetables, Pears
Thursday, October 23
LASAGNA ROLL UP, Breadstick, FOOD CHOICES: Romaine Salad, Cinnamon Applesauce
CARIBOU COUNTY SENIOR CITIZENS' MENU
Every meal served with Juice/Milk/Coffee
Oct 17 - Swiss Steak, Baked Potato, Green Beans, Peaches,
*Birthday Cake and Ice Cream is served in-house only!
BIRTHDAYS
Craig Boswell, Oct. 1
ValDean Moore, Oct. 1
Charlotte Skinner, Oct. 1
Bonnie Skinner, Oct. 2
Jackie Gessford, Oct. 2
Marjean Duren, Oct. 3
Ann Mendenhall, Oct. 5
Ruth Ann Rasmussen, Oct 6
Tristan Pfeffer, Oct. 8
Sharon Berg, Oct. 12
Rosalie Lemons, Oct. 12
Jeanie Lloyd, Oct. 12
Debbie Rigby, Oct. 17
Kelly Holt, Oct. 18
Charles Prahl, Oct. 19
Connie Lakey, Oct. 20
Erin Olsen, Oct. 20
Chalice Call, Oct. 24
Lynne Weaver, Oct. 26
Julie Hook, Oct. 27
Happy Halloween, Oct 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
Potato Bread, Caramel Cake
Oct 22 - Chicken Salad Sandwich w/Cabbage Soup, Lemon Bars
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.
2020
The Caribou County Republican Party Central Committee met Thursday at the City Park in Soda Springs to vote on sending three names to the county commissioners to fill the upcoming vacancy of Sheriff Kelly Wells, who sent in a letter of retirement with an effective date of October 2. Under Idaho code, the county central committee of the party of the elected county official has 15 days to submit three names in order of their preference to the county commissioners for selection of an interim sheriff. Aaron Cook, Caribou County Republican Party chair, asked for anyone wishing to be considered as an interim sheriff to contact him. The seven precinct committee members voted by secret ballot and selected Jon Bunderson, a retired Soda Springs chief of police, to be their first choice or the top name on the list in a vote of four to three.
Adam Mabey, who won the Republican primary election in May and defeated incumbent Wells, received the second position on the three-person list. He retired from the Caribou County Sheriff’s Office prior to the primary election and won in a three way race. There were no Democratic candidates, and none filed by the recent cut-off date, nor did any write-ins, virtually assuring Mabey of his win in the general election in November with no other names or candidates qualifying for the ballot. Cook said Cejay Golightly, an officer at the SSPD, put his name in at the meeting only as a placeholder for the third position, which requires three names, and said he did not want the interim sheriff appointment, but only put his name in to move the process forward.
Chief Deputy Matt Galloway removed his name from consideration before the noon meeting Thursday. He was endorsed by Sheriff Wells in his letter to the county commissioners and recommended by him to be acting sheriff until the elected sheriff takes over in January. The commissioners do not have to take the top name on the list the precinct committee members named in order of their preferences by
vote, but that recommendation is often honored. If the commissioners do not appoint an interim sheriff until the new elected sheriff takes office in January, according to former state party chair Trent Clark the governor can make the appointment. Aaron Cook noted that although the ballot was secret among the precent committee members, all discussion were public at the meeting.
In the already strange turn of events, Cook also pointed out it is in the realm of possibilities that the incumbent sheriff could rescind his letter of retirement or resignation and had until Oct. 2 to do so.
Employees from Bayer’s Soda Springs facility awarded the Idaho Foodbank a $10,000 Bayer Fund grant to support child nutrition efforts in Eastern Idaho. The gift is aimed at supporting the organization’s Backpack program; a service that provides chronically hungry students with enough meals to feed them through the weekend by providing them with a bag of nutritious and kid-friendly food every Friday during the school year. Approximately 63 schools located in the Eastern region of Idaho partner with the Idaho Foodbank on this program. This grant will help provide over 1,400 of the 17,500 backpacks that are distributed in this region throughout the school year. “The Backpack program gives food insecure children a shot at success by keeping their brains and bodies fueled during the weekend, so they are prepared to take on Mondays with the energy needed to learn and thrive academically,” said Karen Vauk, president and CEO of the Idaho Foodbank. “We are grateful to the Bayer Fund and Idaho’s Bayer employees for giving Eastern Idaho children this opportunity,” she said. “The Idaho Foodbank has been a great partner with the Soda Springs plant for many years. The employees at our site have conducted many fundraising drives to support The Foodbank as they directly impact the communities where we live. It is great to add this Bayer Fund Grant to our other efforts to support this organization,” said Roger Gibson, site manager at the Bayer Soda Springs facility. A new floor and use of the old Hooper School half-court gym was discussed by the Soda Springs mayor and city council last Wednesday at their regular meeting when Billy Rasmussen met to discuss options for the city recreation basketball leagues. Rasmussen said
NEWS OF RECORD
CARIBOU COUNTY SHERIFF
Josephine Allen Bedford, Jackson, fail to use safety restraint, $10.00 Adam H Brahim Newport, speeding (16 mph or over), $98.50, cost $56.50
William Aldan Chacon, Bancroft, fail to use safety restraint, $10.00 Caro Lynn Collins, Roseburg, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50 Ethan Gabriel Curtis, Ogden, fail to fasten vehicle license plat properly or be clearly legible, $10.50, costs $56.50
Dietmar Frank Fischer, Richmond, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50
Trey Don Glover, Idaho Falls, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50
Troy Neil Hobbs, Saint Anthony, fail to use safety restraint, $10.00 Cheng-Hung Hu, Peoria, speeding (16 mph or over), $98.50, costs $56.50
Kayla Shyanne Inman, North Salt Lake, speeding, $33.50, cost $56.50 Dustin James Keller, Pocatello, windshields to be unobstructed and equipped with wipers violation, $10.50, costs $56.50
Cyrus Joseph Kempe, Soda Springs, speeding, $33.50, cots $56.50 Carter Rex Kendall, Grace, speeding, $33.50, cots $56.50
Adam Dapiak Kombian, Beaverton, speeding (16 mph or over), $98.50, cots $56.50
Meiling Kuang, Hubei, speeding (16 mph or over), $98.50, costs $56.50
Jordan Dee Law, Rigby, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50
Steven riley Martin, Jerome, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50
Tanner J Meyers, Soda Springs, fil to use safety restraint, $10.00 Cameron Lloyd Mickelsen, Afton, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50
Monica P Moreno Daza, St George, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50 Michael Thomas Nasiatka, Ne-
with the LDS Church gyms no longer available for use, the second to sixth grade little league basketball teams are extremely limited to gym time at the schools. He said they only have one day a week use now and suggested the lunch room, which is also a half-court size gym, be used at Hooper School, which is shut down for school use and rented to various businesses for office space. He said a new floor would be needed and the lowest bid he found was $20,000, but noted the flooring could be removed and used elsewhere if a community recreation center was to be built.
“I can’t see Soda Springs not having a recreation program,” he said, and added that community efforts to build a recreation center included a swimming pool, which may not be feasible with Lava Hot Springs 20 minutes away. Rasmussen discussed the willingness of residents and business to donate and thought half of the cost of the flooring could be raised that way. The city officials felt there was money in related projects for half of the flooring costs for their part and said they would discuss it further and will work on a proposal. “It’s a band-aid,” Rasmussen said, “but it is all these kids have,” he said about trying to find gym time this winter for city recreation and little league programs.
2010
The Oct 9 Caribou Historical Society field trip will visit sites in the Soda Springs area that reflect a variety of early local railroad history. These primary sites will feature the partially
constructed Roundhouse in the last 1800s. The tour will also include the Conda Bus, the Dinky Engine, Conda Mine ore cars and the early day livestock stockyards and loading site.
Wednesday, the Hooper 5th Graders visited Astaris Dry Valley Mine. The class reported that “We learned about mines, maps, and trucks. In the morning we went to the map-making class and had a chance to make a mine plan map. We learned what it takes to make a mine and how important it is to plan. Next, we went to a room where we learned about the phosphate industry. One of the best experiences was getting to see a dump truck that can hail 150 tons. We had a fun time sitting in the seats and learning that they drive the trucks on the left side of the haul road. After lunch we went to a reclamation site and looked at a reclaimed mine.” Caribou County Volleyball Champs—The Grace Lady Grizzlies defended their county champion status last week as they defeated North Gem in two games and Soda Springs, also in two games, at the tri-match held at SSHS.
sconet, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50
Giang Huong Nguyen, Torrance, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50
Whitney Lynne Owen, Logan, fail to use safety restraint
Logan James Packer, Grace, speeding (16 mph or over), $98.50, costs
$56.50
Tyler D Plowman, Pakenham, speeding (16 mph or over), $98.50, costs $56.50
Paven Kumar Repelly, Concord, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50
Ryanjacob Abel Rivera, West Jordan, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50
Marco Antonio Rodriquez, American Falls, speeding, $33.50, costs
$56.50
Natalie Ruiz, Rupert, fail to register vehicle annually, $10.50, costs $56.50
John Paul Sabey, St George, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50
Tzvi A Sender, NA, speeding (16 mph or over), $98.50, costs $56.50
Justin Steven Smith, Chubbuck, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50
Steven William Stapakis, Long Beach, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50
Tyken James Stibal, Victor, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50; fail to register vehicle annually, $10.50, costs $56.50
Yue Sun, El Monte, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50
David Joseph Toman, Logan, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50
Tiffany Gay Unsworth, Kanab, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50
Cedric Kalani Vakalahi, Layton, speeding (16 mph or over), $98.50, costs $56.50
Melissa A Velarde, Rock City, driving with expired license, $44.50, costs $56.50
Cache Roy Vellinga, Highland, speeding (16 mph or over), $98.50, costs $56.50
Zhenfen Wu, OA, speeding (16 mph or over), $98.50, costs $56.50
SODA SPRINGS POLICE
Douglas Kim Christensen, Soda Springs, fail to yield to pedestrian in crosswalk, $33.50, costs $56.50
Yucheng Dai, San Jose, speeding (16 mph or over), $98.50, costs $56.50
Wendy Hatch, Soda Springs, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50
Lance Everett Homan, Fritch, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50
Roy Lee Jr., Soda Springs, fail to provide proof of insurance, $75.00, costs $56.50; fail to register vehicle annually, $10.50, costs $56.50; operate vehicle without a current or valid class d/operators license, $150.00, costs $157.50
Qian Zhang, Shenzhen City, speeding (16 mph or over), $98.50, costs $56.50
Xin Zhao, Shezhen, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50; fail to yield or stop upon approach of emergency or police vehicle, $33.50, costs $56.50
IDAHO STATE POLICE
Lui X Beijing, Shanghai, speeding (16 mph or over), $98.50, costs $56.50
Mel Raymond Bingham Island Park, fail to register vehicle annually, $10.50, costs $56.50
Jaleel Tavion Davis, Afton, speeding (16 mph or over), $98.50, cost $56.50
Mitchell J Elliott, Grand Junction, speeding (16 mph or over), $98 .50, costs $56.50
David Matthew Howard, Ogden, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50
Rajesh Venkatrama Ramani, Fremont, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50
MAGISTRATE COURT
Logan J Manscill, Ogden, fish without license (not salmon steelhead, sturgeon or bull trout), $35.00, costs $165.00 – Agency: IDF&G
1990 Gem Street Edition, North Gem High School’s choir, has been chosen to represent Idaho in Washington, D.C. on July 4, 1991. The choir will perform for the 215th Independence Day Flag Raising at the Parade Reviewing Stand for President Bush and other dignitaries. An invitation to participate was extended to Gem Street Edition last spring when choir members were on a concert tour in Utah. Part of the tour included a performance at the Utah State Capitol for Governor Norman Bangerter and others. At that time Bangerter issued an executive declaration proclaiming April 26, 1990, as North Gem Choir Day in Utah. It was on that occasion that the choir gained the attention of Kenneth Madsen, who is the international director of the National Independence Day Festival and Parade. In his official invitation Madsen said, “Your splendid reputation for precision and excellence as singers has been the prominent factor in your selection.” A wholesome, drug free appearance and an enthusiastic display of goodwill were other qualities which influences the decision.
IDAN-HA
-INDOOR-
Thursday, October 16
Friday, October 17
Saturday, October 18
Tron Ares (PG-13)
A highly sophisticated Program, Ares, is sent from the digital world into the real world on a dangerous mission.
Thursday, Friday & Saturday
6:00 p.m. and 8:15 p.m.
Saturday Matinee
2:00 p.m. (All seats $5)
6:00 p.m. and 8:15 p.m.
Wednesday, October 22
6:00 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. (All seats $5) 208-547-3282
Shany Beaman (Head Start) and Cheryl Kimber (PBS) at the Soda Springs Library.
Caribou County Commissioners 10/13
Rowdy requested some money for pants. He has ripped pants while doing inspections, and like uniform replacements in other departments, this would be under the budget.
Kevin McLain—Road and Bridge
There are a number of road and culvert projects that will be completed before the weather turns.
McLain reported on the meeting of the five county coalition for transportation, some projects that the county will put in for grants for, including Government Dam Road.
There have been some issues with the county and the mine companies’ maintenance approaches to roads, with some bladed roads not being done in the same manner as the county standard.
There have been some issues of hunters parking in campground areas, and various signage was discussed to prevent any problems.
Some confusion about who is responsible for removing trash and objects from the chain-up area on the east end of the county was discussed. A couch in the turnout was at issue, and whether responsibility for it belonged to the county or the state (as it pertains to both) was discussed.
Eric Hobson—EMS Hobson reported that between one and two thousand dollars in funding left over from the All-County Hazard Mitigation Plan grant is being given to the county after the completion of the Plan. A new round of signatures was required to accept the funds, as well as a motion. The IOEM grant totaled $37,175.19 toward the creation of the plan. The All-Hazard Mitigation Plan provides a roadmap for identifying areas of potential concern within the county, and strategies for preventing and responding to them.
The EMT class has 23 people signed up, and will begin on October 14. 3 are from Bancroft, 8 from the mines, and the rest from Soda.
The Bailey Creek Fire Mitigation Project has had 80% of the property owners sign on. This comes from a grant, and will begin work next year.
Rowdy Larkins
Larkins raised question about houses built on private land in the county. What is the percent grade allowed on access roads to them, and who inspects that?
According to Eric Hobson, the county standard grade is 7%, but the state statute for fire code is 10%. The restriction is basically designed to make sure that emergency vehicles are able to access the residence, especially in the winter.
Larkins noted a place in the county code where those standards can be waived by the owner. This would effectively waive the right to EMS access, which the county is not in favor of. A building permit that is under consideration is the cause of the question.
The affidavit waiving the right is not an official part of the legal description, which makes for a non-unified record of the property. Angie Mendenhall noted that while it would not literally be attached to the deed, it would be on record and transparent for anyone interacting with
the property. There are issues with insurance companies not insuring properties which do not have a driveway grade within the required slope.
There are a number of legacy subdivisions with grades that were built in the past outside the county requirement. These were grandfathered, but have created some issues.
Changes to the ordinance clarifying the nature of future construction were discussed.
A walkthrough of the Event Center was done last week as the timeframe for opening the building narrows. The final elements, including the drainage and curb cutting, will be done within the next two weeks.
The Event Center has been declared as a voting site for the upcoming election. Power and bathrooms will be available by the November 4 election, though the building will not be finalized by that time for general use.
Dwight Lloyd
Lloyd updated the commissioners about ongoing issues. There are areas within aspen groves where spotted knapweed are a large problem. In order to eliminate the weeds, the trees will also be affected.
Helen Barker
A public hearing was held on the matter of a zoning change.
Kirk Corbridge has requested a change from Ag to low density Residential. It is on Blackfoot River Road, and is a 40 acre lot.
PZ recommended approval, as there were no specific restrictions on this kind of request under the code. The rezone is necessary in order to be able to split the property into two 20 acre lots, as Ag zoning requires a 40 acre lot.
The commissioners raised the issue of spot zoning as a concern.
Because there is not a physical demarcation between the proposed areas, the commissioners were not comfortable with the rezone. As a matter of consistency within the county, they returned to the regular session of the meeting and denied the rezone request on the basis that it would create spot zoning were it to be approved.
Ally Schwulst--GIS
Schwulst spoke to the commissioners about addresses in the county. N Mingo and E 8 th N have conflicts in the system in terms of designation. Surveys on the property in question refer to it under both or either terms. Mingo road goes to the city limits, and the 8 th E designation once it becomes city.
Whether the change happens at the impact zone or city limits was discussed.
The basic feeling was that the county road was Mingo, and the city road was 8 th E. Winter road maintenance on the road, and how it was shared between the city of Grace and the county was also discussed.
The differences between Apple maps, Google maps, and other resources that designate roadways were discussed. There will be a number of things affected by the change to the designation, which was the underlying significance of the conversation.
The name change at the
city limits was considered the clearest way to identify the streets.
Caribou Historical Society
Galen Wilson and Bill Horsley spoke to the commissioners. Wilson thanked the commissioners for their support over the last few years. The CHS has spoken with local A furnace has been added on the last years. A water heater and temperature control improvements. Jerry Stoor has completed most of the restoration of the apartment on the east side of the building, and will be stocked with materials. The train room upstairs has been completed, including the original train set that Jerry used to play with as a kid. Dianne Olsen has painted the walls in the room, which look great.
They are trying to increase visibility and interaction within the county outside of just Soda Springs.
A plaque has been put up on the site of the Selos Hair Salon. Robert Meyer from San Diego found an ad from 1881 for the “new fireproof ZCMI,” which provided a new date for the historic building. Plaques on a display stone outside Eastman Drug have also been established.
The CHS has spoken to people in Grace about some other possibilities for plaques locally, as well as locations in Bancroft, Soda, and the county.
Some of the future work includes the restoration of the outside of the museum building. This will require the use of a lift. Painting the outside is another issue. A number of possible sources for a donated lift for the project were mentioned.
There are also plans to restore a bench from Dorothy Dunn. The bench used to be located at the train depot.
Church service missionaries have helped to clean gravesites and the landscape in the cemetery. They plan to continue helping each year.
The west side of the building, including the sidewalk, have been improved.
“We’ve been busy and your support has helped us do a lot we wouldn’t have been able to do without help,” Galen said.
The fourth grade from North Gem visited this year, which is the first visit from outside the town of Soda Springs.
Theresa Watkins from the Chamber of Commerce in Logan brought a group to tour the facilities.
During the summer, from Memorial Day to Labor day the museum is open on Saturdays. Otherwise, the museum is open by request. “And we get quite a few of those,” Horsley said. “If you see one of our vehicles there, we’ll stop what we’re doing and show you around,” Wilson said.
An MOU with the historical area for the Oregon Trail RV Park has been signed. Horsley reminded people about the Phosphate Regatta that used to take place in the reservoir. He suggested that the new boat ramp should be named the “Bob Summers” boat ramp when its completed. According to Rowdy Larkins, most people call it the Summers dock already.
City County
The Event Center drainage will be started on this week, with the county bringing in gravel. Riley Crookston
and Rowdy Larkins are coordinating the project.
The issue of Mingo Road was discussed with Mayor Barthlome. The problem of multiple maps having different information was further explored, as was the location for the switch.
The state project on Highway 34 will be delayed from its original plan.
Bayer
An advisory panel meeting on November 20 th was announced. A transition in workforce is underway at the mine. In the aggregate, the expectation is that the numbers of employees will not change very much although it might be slightly fewer.
The Caldwell mine is potentially within a dew days of approval. The Department of Interior still needs to sign the documents, but the government shutdown is potentially affecting the timeline.
P4 Production is going through a legal identity change. The name is Ruveon, LLC now. The name has been changed, though there is no practical difference, according to Bayer. “Bayer is pretty dynamic right now,” Chris said.
Extension Office
Tayelor, Justin Hatch, Lisa Barfuss, and Rachel Hamilton spoke to the commissioners about the extension office. Justin noted that he and Rowdy had been getting calls about what the new building would be used for.
The building is similar to the Event Center in Oneida County, and documents related to its use and rental have been modified by Extension Educator Justin Hatch to work with the Caribou County Event Center. The documents cover a fee schedule, rules, and other elements of the building use.
Hatch requested that the available cleaning funds were used to allow Tayelor to be fulltime in the office, which would provide a person to be able to handle scheduling and so on in the office on a regular basis. Hatch expressed the opinion that having someone in the office at all times was a good idea.
The fee schedule provides for a waiver for some events, such as those involving Caribou County, Fairboard, 4-H. Additional organizations can be added down the road, or the fee could be petitioned on a case by case basis, which would be decided by the commissioners.
Mayor Barthlome asked whether those who rent the building will have access to cleaning supplies in order to clean up afterward.
Shelley Reeves spoke as a representative of the Fairboard, and explained that they likely would only use the building during the fair and for their regular meetings.
Hatch noted that the events themselves (a wedding reception on the one hand versus a civic meeting on the other) might affect the fee schedule for cleaning deposits. Larkins suggested that they might create tiers for fee scheduling depending on the type and size of event. The use of Venmo for taking payments to the county was also discussed.
Attorney Wood suggested that there were enough topics that needed to be
clarified that it would be a good idea to have a separate meeting.
An open house, once the project is done, was loosely planned for and details will be refined as the completion draws closer.
Doug Wood Wood noted that there is a code on the books making it illegal to water the roadway. A written warning, and then fines are imposed. $50, $100, then $200 within the same year. The Idaho Supreme Court stated that the ordinance was worded in a confusing way. A citation that had been issued was challenged, as Wood needed clarity on what the commissioners intended by the ordinance before he goes to court on the issue.
Dear Shareholder,
Annual meeting of The Last Chance Canal Company, Ltd. will be held at the American Legion Hall, Grace, Caribou County, Idaho on Monday November 3, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. for the following purposes.
1. To review and approve annual reports pertaining to the financial condition and general operation of the company.
2. To elect such directors to the Board of directors to fill any vacancies in said board as set forth in the by-laws of the corporation and to hold office for such terms as may be required and until his successor shall be elected and shall qualify.
3. To transact any and all other business as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournment thereof.
The close of business on September 30, 2025 has been fixed as the date of record for determining stockholders entitled to receive notice of and vote at the meeting. The stock transfer books for the corporation will remain closed from that date until the annual meeting is adjourned.
All Stockholders are urged to attend the meeting in person or by proxy. If you do not expect to attend the meeting and desire to have the stock registered in your name voted at the meeting, you are requested by the management to fill in, sign and return promptly, a proxy. BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS LAST CHANCE CANAL COMPANY LTD.
Jodi Mathews, Secretary PO Box 93 Grace, Idaho 83241 #1168-10-16-23-30-25-T3
HERE WE GO!
JIM MCCULLOCH, GOAL (GET OUTSIDE AND LIVE)
The GOAL signs have been placed at the following three locations: 1) At the S on S-Hill in Soda Springs; 2) At the G on G-Hill in Grace; and, 3) at the top of Cedar Hill (which is just west of Bancroft off Squaw Creek Road. A HUGE THANK YOU to the Lloyd and Modersitzki families for giving permission to access their properties!
You just need to climb to one or more of these signs, take a picture and post it on social media AND tag Get Outside And Live. For doing that your name will be entered into a drawing for a FREE tabletop Blackstone Griddle, to be given away the first of November. Get an entry for each hill you climb and post you make.
A few suggestions:
1) Please hike responsibly! The Grace and Bancroft signs are accessed through private ground. Don't shoot, camp, litter, or damage anything on any of these properties and trails.
2) Please keep it clean! Pack it in, pack it out. Leave a trail better than when you found it.
3) Please don't remove the signs. We will pick them up after the end of October.
4) Consider hiking with someone else. This a great opportunity for some social connection.
5) Post your questions for us and we'll try to answer them.
6) Don't forget to take water, sunscreen, and some trail food, along with a rain jacket, etc. if the weather calls for it.
7) Have fun and enjoy the beautiful world we live in and the beautiful people we live with!
A big thanks to Bayer for the metal and plasma cutter, and Zach Carver for his excellent job making the signs!
A few people have asked how to access each sign, so here are some instructions (please let us know if this isn't enough):
1) S-Hill in Soda: Drive to the north end of Main Street and park in the parking lot on the east side of the street. Start hiking on the trail toward Hooper Springs and just before you get to the fenced in portion of the canal (where it drops to the power station) take the path to your left that heads up the hill. This trail will merge with another trail that comes up behind a bench further along the silica trail. Keep climbing and you'll get there.
The last slope is the steepest, so take plenty of time and enjoy the views!
2) G-Hill in Grace: This was a longer hike for me than the S-Hill in Soda. You can turn east at 3C grill and drive to the end of Burton Canyon Road. At the T, turn south on Harwood Road and drive until you are even with the G (which should be at the center line of the pivot in Lloyd's field. Walk across the field until you hit the path on the hill that is a pretty straight shot to the G.
3) Take 3rd Street West off the Old Highway in Bancroft. This street will turn into Squaw Creek Road. At the end of the houses there is a slight left turn that starts around Cedar Hill. You'll see a road that cuts off to the right and goes to the City water tank and storage. There is a gate about 100 yards down this road from Squaw Creek Road. At the gate turn uphill and follow the fence line until you get close enough to angle to the summit ridge.
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 Office.
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
OBITUARY
Barbara Fae Thompson Mickelson
July 15, 1931 ~ October 10, 2025
Barbara Fae Thompson Mickelson, age 94, passed away peacefully from this life to the next, on Friday, October 10, 2025. Barbara was born on July 15, 1931, in Downey, Idaho to William Orville and Gertrude Ione Owen Thompson. Barbara was raised in Virginia, Idaho, on the Thompson Yago Ranch with her four brothers, Thayne, Bill, John, Leon, and sister Lorna. Many stories have been shared over the years about their adventures on the ranch. One of her favorite winter traditions was when her father would put bells on the sleigh, hook up the horses, and take the kids to school.
Education was important to Barbara in all stages of her life; she never stopped learning and teaching. Barbara had many talents such as playing piano/organ, cooking, baking, crocheting, knitting, dressmaking, and quilting. She spent many hours quilting on her own and with the women of Williams Ward. Barbara also judged fair entries and spent time passing down her knowledge to others.
Barbara graduated from Brigham Young University in 1958. She moved to Grace, Idaho, to teach home economics at Grace High School. It was there that she started to date Riley Letham Mickelson. They were married on Dec. 4, 1959, in the Logan, Utah Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Temple. They were a great complement to each other and loved each other deeply. In their 50th year of marriage, May 2008, Riley passed due to a farm injury accident.
After his passing, Barbara remained in their home. This is where she continued to live, all the way to age 94! She had a profound love for the small Idaho towns she lived in because of their beautiful views and the sagebrush. She often told her family how much she loved the smell of sagebrush and how she could hardly stand it when she was in the city. Rural Idaho was home.
Barbara is the mother to 11 children: Brenda Smith (deceased) (Delmas), Blooming Grove, Texas; Brian (deceased); Scott (Kerry) Treasureton, Idaho; Antone (Kelly), Yakima, Washington; Marty (Dianne), Lewiston, Utah; Marsha Warren (Philip), Jerome, Idaho; Betty Fellows (Jed), Preston, Idaho; Blair (Laura), Melba, Idaho; Sarah Hansen (Wade), Lancaster, Ohio; Arlen, Preston, Idaho; Marlowe (Noel), Grace, Idaho. She is also grandma to 39 grandchildren, 54 great-grandchildren, and 4 greatgreat grandchildren.
As a caretaker of so many people over the years - farmhands, family, friends, ward members - Barbara shared her love and light. She served in many church callings over the years including: Organist, Primary Pianist, RS Counselor, Spiritual Living & Homemaking Teacher, Gospel Doctrine Teacher, and Achievement Days Leader. In her 90s she said “We all have to look after one another, and it’s a job, but it’s a good job. I guess it’s not really
a job, it’s just what people do.” She constantly served others and treated them with kindness. In this way, Barbara was a model of Christlike service.
One of the many life lessons Barbara has shared with her children and grandchildren is that “in this life, you can choose to be happy or choose to be miserable.” Even in the most difficult times of her life, she was happy. She had a joyful smile and infectious laughter that remained with her through all of her 94 years. We are so blessed that she chose happy, continuously living an exemplary life of strength and positivity.
Barbara is preceded in death by her husband, two children, parents, and siblings. She is survived by nine of her children & their spouses; grandchildren; great-grandchildren; great-great grandchildren; brother-in-law, Jay Christopherson, and many, many beloved close relatives and friends.
Funeral services will be conducted at 12 p.m. Saturday, October 18, 2025, at the LDS church in Niter, Idaho, 2060 Niter Bench Rd. The services will be streamed live and may be watched Saturday at noon (MST) by clicking on the link in her obituary at webbmortuary.com. Friends may call at the church from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, October 17, and from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday prior to services. Interment will be in the Lago Cemetery. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at webbmortuary.com
For those who wish, memorial donations may be made to Primary Children’s Hospital https:// give.primarychildrenshospital.org/ give/395838/#!/donation/checkout Services are under the direction of the Webb Funeral Home https:// www.webbmortuary.com/
Hope Green Advertising hope.g@idahoenterprise.com
Phone: 208-766-4773 www.cariboucountynews.com
One of the 3 GOAL signs around the county--instructions are laid out below to each of the locations.
Make your way to one of the signs, take a picture of yourself there and post it to social media and tag GOAL.
Grace Homecoming
Homecoming came home to Grace last week, and it was a thrilling week from top to bottom, with amazing wins for the Volleyball and Football teams, senior nights, a parade through town and a tailgate party, amazing early fall weather, Royalty, and a whole lot more. On this page, we feature some highlights of events including the parade, and on the facing page, find the play by play rundown of the homecoming games. Congratulations on great seasons so far to the amazing students of Grace, and we can’t what to see what else is in store for the Class of 2026!
The Grace High Pep Band kept the music flowing during the parade.
Homecoming King Bodee Smith and Homecoming Queen Bella Zulu.
Homecoming Grand Marshall Susan Kimball
Caribou County Fair Royalty carried the colors for the Homecoming Parade.
The Grace Jr. High Cheer squad performs during the parade.
Grace High cheerleaders Myan Taggart and Berklee Mathews take a break during the game.
Superintendant Moss poses with Drew Dredge from Advantage Plus. Advantage Plus made a donation to help purchase the new scoreboard.
Both the Grace Jr. High and High school volleyball teams.
The Grace High School Grizzly football team riding on a flatbed during the parade.
Lady Grizz win on Senior Night over Lady Cards
BY JODY REEVES
The Grace Lady Grizzlies picked up a big win over the Lady Cardinals last week on a night where they celebrated their seniors. The Lady Grizzlies honored six seniors. The six girls were escorted onto the court by their parents where they received gifts and applause. The six seniors included Kayla Rigby, Ashley King, Paisley Barthlome, Jaycie Smith, Tessica Jorgenson and Adi Rasmussen.
The game was a thrilling one that ended in some controversy. The Lady Cardinals jumped out to an early lead in set one and stayed in control of the set and won it. In set two the Lady Grizzlies bounced back while everything seemed to go wrong for the Cardinals. Grace cruised to an easy victory in set two and the match was tied at one set a piece. In the third set Grace seemed to be in control still but Soda Springs was gaining traction. In the end the Lady Grizzlies went on to win set three and took a two sets to one lead. In the fourth set the momentum swung back to the Lady Cardinals as they were able to maintain a lead through almost the whole set. With the score at 24-21 in favor of the Cardinals the ball found the floor on the Grace side of the
net seemingly giving Soda Springs the win. Both teams, coaches and even the score keepers thought the set was over. Once the excitement calmed down everyone realized that the officials had called a violation on the Lady Cardinals switching the apparent set point over to the Grizzlies. The score was now 24-22 still in favor of the Cardinals. However the Lady Grizzlies were able to tear off four quick points completing a comeback set win that resulted in the match victory by the Grizzlies on their senior night.
The dramatic win kept the Lady Grizzlies recent win streak intact. The following day the Lady Grizzlies easily defeated Alturas Prep to sweep the Pumas on the season. The Lady Grizzlies have just one game remaining on their schedule. On Thursday the Lady Grizzlies travel to Arco to take on the Lady Pirates. The top ranked Pirates will be a tough challenge for the Lady Grizzlies. Win or lose it is likely that the two teams will face off again to play for the district championship.
Lady Cardinals look to bounce back on Senior Night
BY JODY REEVES
Following a deflating loss in Grace the Soda Springs Cardinals headed out on the road to play a tough Malad Dragon team. The Dragons sit in first place in the district having run the table by not surrendering a single loss to any district opponent. When the two teams played last month the Lady Cardinals played right with the top team in the first set losing 26-24. Unfortunately Soda Springs fell off after that and lost in three straight sets. The Lady
Cardinals were hoping that they could pull off the big upset this go around and possibly improve their district standing. However the Lady Dragons were not to be beat. The Lady Cardinals struggled in the first set barely breaking double digit points. After that they did play better but were still no match for the top ranked Dragons. The Lady Cardinals fell in Malad in three straight sets.
The Lady Cardinals now just have one game remaining on their regular season schedule. That game takes place Wednesday night at the Birds
Nest as the Lady Cardinals host the Aberdeen Tigers. Soda Springs are favored in the match up and the fact that the game will be the Lady Cardinals senior night will further inspire them to get the win. Come take advantage of your last chance to see the girls play at home this season and cheer them on to victory while celebrating the seniors.
Cardinals 11 16 17 Dragons 25 25 25
Dominant Homecoming win for the Grizzlies
BY JODY REEVES
The Grace Grizzlies football team hosted the Clearwater Valley Rams for homecoming last Friday night. The Grizzlies dominated the Rams throughout the game and came away with their largest margin of victory this season. Grace put up some huge numbers in this game with several Grizzlies contributing to the big win. After just one quarter of play the Grizzlies piled up five touchdowns while holding the Rams scoreless. After the first quarter the Grizzlies began to pull back but still finished the game with nine touchdowns from six different players. Grace did give up one score late in the game with a mostly freshman jv squad on the field. The play by play in this game was so lopsided that we will just
touch on some of the impressive stats and performances in the game. Senior quarterback Gavin Draper continued his impressive season completing seven of twelve for one hundred eighty-nine yards and four touchdowns. Draper added a rushing touchdown and earned two interceptions on the defensive side of the ball.
In addition to Draper’s two picks, four other Grizzlies also earned interceptions for a total of six interceptions by the team. Among those who earned interceptions were freshmen Conner Rasmussen and Leo Burrell. Burrell returned his interception for a touchdown. In addition to Burrell’s pick six he was one of seven Grizzlies to record a sack on defense. Fellow freshman Boston Stoddard and sophomore Luke Moss joined Burrell in the sacks
earned column. Back on offense the running back duo of Chase Smith and Bryant Moss each picked up scores on the ground with Moss averaging over thirteen yards per carry and Smith with an astounding average of fifteen yards per carry. Receivers Parker Yost and Cooper Andersen were responsible for the majority of the scoring for the Grizzlies. Yost had three receptions for seventy-seven yards and two touchdowns. Andersen’s production was even higher, earning one hundred thirty-three yards off of three catches, scoring on each one of his receptions. Perhaps one of the most unusual statistics on the evening came from Keathen Edwards. Edwards in a trick play took the ball from quarterback Draper only to pull
up and throw a pass. Edwards’ pass was completed for a twenty-six yard pass giving him a quarterback passer rating of 177.1. The Grizzlies ran away with the game winning 62-8.
Grace gets a bye this week to rest and recuperate from an impressive season thus far. The Grizzlies will be back in action next week at home taking on their district rivals the Butte County Pirates. That game will determine the district championship. Grace will be the odds on favorite but rivalry games have a way of making things interesting. A win in that game will most likely earn the Grizzlies a round one bye in the playoffs and a round two home game that could potentially be played in the ICCU dome in Pocatello.
The Lady Grizzlies celebrate their dramatic win over Soda Springs on senior night.
The Grizzlies take the field prior to their dominate win on Homecoming
The Grizzly defense kept the Rams contained all night long
Adi Rasmussen with her parents Miles and Jennie Rasmussen.
Tessica Jorgensen with her parents Keith and Becky Jorgensen.
Kayla Rigby and her parents Wade and Cassie Rigby.
Jaycie Smith with her parents Brett and Angie Smith.
Paisley Barthlome with her parents Brooks and Andrea Barthlome.
Ashley King with her parents Mike and Andrea King.
Heartbreaker In Bancroft
BY JODY REEVES
The North Gem Cowboys football team hosted the Challis Vikings last Friday in a crucial game for both teams. Each team entered the contest without a conference loss and with the season quickly coming to an end each remaining game plays a huge role in earning a playoff spot. With the way that the state playoffs are set up and the quality of teams in some of the other districts it will be difficult for more than one team from the Rocky Mountain Conference to earn a playoff spot. That meant the only way for the Cowboys to guarantee a spot would be to win the district title. Prior to last week’s game it was a three team race with the Cowboys, Challis and Rockland all vying for the district title. The winner of Friday’s game in Bancroft would have a leg up going into the final two weeks of the season.
North Gem and Challis are very evenly matched and Friday’s game was a close battle through most of the game. The Cowboys received the opening kickoff but unfortunately in their first series fumbled the ball giving the Vikings good field position. Challis took advantage of the turnover and scored on their first drive taking a six point lead. Each team took turns earning some yards on offense but the defenses held tough. Challis kept their six point advantage to end the first. In the second period the Cowboys would
finally break through and tie the game up for a brief moment. The tie game didn’t last long however as the Vikings were able to respond and score on the very next drive. At the halftime break Challis once again held the lead over the Cowboys by the score of 146. The defensive battle continued in the third period. North Gem was able to use their power run game to move the ball down the field and with just over five minutes left in the third quarter the Cowboys were once again able to tie the game up. However just like they did late in the second quarter the Vikings were able to answer right back and at the end of three Challis once again held a one score lead. North Gem opened the fourth quarter trailing by eight but were able to get behind the strong running of Yost and Wakely to move the ball. Yost was able to find the endzone for his third touchdown of the day but the Cowboys failed to get the two point conversion causing them to still trail by just two points. Like they had done all game the Vikings were able to answer back and the game now stood at 28-20 in favor of Challis. Following the Vikings score the Cowboys were on the move once again. North Gem eventually got the ball down inside the ten yard line for a first and goal. Unfortunately the Cowboys were unable to punch the ball in for a potential game tying score and turned the ball over on downs on the seven yard line. With
time running down the Vikings were able to add insult to injury scoring on a long touchdown pass. The clock ran out on the Cowboys before they could answer back and Challis stole the road win by the score of 36-20. This game was far closer than the final score indicates.
The loss does not completely elim-
inate the Cowboys from playoff contention but the road just became a lot tougher. North Gem will now have to root for Rockland to beat Challis this week then they themselves will have to knock off the Bulldogs in the season finale in Bancroft on the twenty-fourth to force a tie breaker scenario.
Cardinals Difficult Schedule Continues
BY JODY REEVES
It has been widely accepted that the 3A fifth district is the toughest league in the state and has been for several years. Teams like Westside, Aberdeen, and the recently departed Bear Lake have ruled the district for several years while also being amongst the top teams in the state. There was little reprieve by having Bear Lake move up a classification due to the fourth district joining the conference. That led to the addition of yet another top tier team the Declo Hornets. With Westside, Aberdeen and Declo all having been consistently ranked in the top five teams in the state and adding teams to the schedule like Ririe, another top five team, and American Falls, a top five 4A team the Cardinals schedule has been one of the most difficult ones statewide. Almost every week the Cardinals have had to face a team that is in the discussion for a state championship. Last week that was the case once again when they played one of the aforementioned teams the Declo Hornets.
The Hornets entered the contest with a deceptive three and three record. If you just look at that record you would be deceived into thinking that the Hornets were a mediocre team. However if you look at who their opponents have been their three losses came
against two 4A schools and top ranked Westside. The Cardinals were well aware of how good of a team the Hornets are and as Friday night’s game kicked off they were up for the challenge early on. Soda Springs played right with the Hornets for much of the first quarter. They were able to move the ball at times while continuing to play solid defense. Unfortunately they were not able to keep Declo out of the endzone but only allowed one score. To just be trailing by seven after one quarter of play against one of the state’s top teams was an impressive feat. However football games are four quarters long and for the Cardinals this one was not going to get any better. As the game progressed the Cardinals seemed to take two steps back for every one step forward. Penalties and turnovers were once again drive killers for Soda Springs and the tough Hornet run game became taxing on the defense. The Hornets proved to be too much for the Cardinals and Soda Springs lost the game 42-0.
This week the Cardinals will face another larger school when they play 4A Bear Lake. Despite the size difference the Bears have had their fair share of struggles this season as well. Friday’s game should be a competitive one and should give the Cardinals a shot at possibly earning a second win this season.
Cardinals XC Teams Had An Impressive Week
The Soda Springs cross country teams made some great gains last week when they hit the Idaho State University Course. The Lady Cardinal runners finished in a very close third place as a team. Ririe took the top spot with 56 points followed by Preston with 58 then the Cardinals with 59. As she has done all season, senior Ellie Wood led the way for the Lady Cardinals and finished fifth overall in the race. Freshman phenom Brinley Kunz continues to impress as she finished just a few spots behind in eighth place with a new personal record. Rosie Harris also cracked the top ten in the race and recorded a season best time.
The Cardinal boys team also had some great performances. Like the girls team the Cardinal boys team placed third overall with 85 points finishing behind Preston with 40 points and Ririe with 77 points. Landon Moldenhauer was the top performer for the Cardinals finishing
fourth overall and setting a new personal record finishing in under seventeen minutes. Joining Moldenhauer in setting new personal records were a pair of youngsters for Soda Springs. Freshman Reuben Uskoski and sophomore Jaxson Horsley both hit some great marks while finishing in the top twenty in the race. The Cardinals will be back in action this week in Preston as they draw ever closer to the district meet coming up next week.
Boys Results: Landon Moldenhauer 16:54.1, Reuben Uskoski 17:32.5, Jaxson Horsley 18:00.4, Kage Kirby 18:04.4, Dre Lloyd 19:07.3, Jonathan Beutler 19:47.1, Elias Green 20:09.0
Girls Results: Ellie Wood 20:28.0, Brinley Kunz 21:18.5, Rosie Harris 21:22.6, Mollie Renfroe 22:08.4, Courtnee Gronning 22:25.0, Maddie Kempe 22:39.2, Mylee White 24:06.3
Lady Cowboys Wrap Up Regular Season Play
BY JODY REEVES
The Lady Cowboys finished up the regular season last week with three matches on the road. North Gem first traveled to Leadore last Thursday to take on the Mustangs who sit at the top of the conference in the standings. The Lady Cowboys started strong against the Mustangs playing a competitive first set but did come up short. North Gem was unable to keep up with the Mustangs over the next two sets as they progressively fell further behind in each set. Leadore ended up sweeping the Lady Cowboys in three sets.
The Lady Cowboys next took part in a tri-match last Saturday where they faced the other top team in the conference, Rockland as well as Sho-Ban. In their match up with Rockland the Lady Cowboys posed little threat to the Lady Bulldogs. Rockland looked the part as the conference’s top team and quickly dispatched of the Lady
Cowboys in three straight sets. Even though they were dominated by the Lady Bulldogs, the Lady Cowboys did not have a completely bad day. In their game against the Lady Chiefs, North Gem were the dominant team. In the first set the Lady Chiefs did put up a good fight but ultimately the Lady Cowboys came away with the win. The next two sets were all North Gem as they ran away with the match earning big wins in both the second and third sets. The Lady Cowboys will now prepare to begin district tournament play. Check next week’s edition to see how the Lady Cowboys are progressing in tournament play.
Craig Yost looks to get past the defense. Yost was the only Cowboy to find the endzone in last weeks game.
Cardinals quarterback Makiah Browning drops back to pass in last weeks game at home.
Senior running back Cole Garbett takes the ball around the end of the line.