The Idaho Enterprise/Caribou County | April 3, 2025

Earthquake readiness in Caribou

Last week’s catastrophic earthquake in Myanmar was almost literally halfway across the world, but the reality of earthquakes along the Rocky Mountain and Wasatch mountains is all too close to home. According to USGS mapping data, Caribou County joins most of Southeast Idaho in being labeled a high risk earthquake area. It’s only the extremely long scale of geologic time that hides the frequency of earthquake events in and around the area. For many years now, residents of this part of the state have been worried about the “Yellowstone Caldera” and the potential for a “supervolcano event.” The phrasing is certainly alarming, but a standard earthquake event is probably more likely (and certainly plenty destructive enough) in most of our lifetimes.

Emergency Services Director Eric Hobson has worked on putting together the All-Hazard Mitigation Plan for the county, which should be finalized next week.

Next week, Caribou County should be essentially finalizing its “All-Hazard Mitigation Plan,” which is a grant prerequisite from FEMA for disaster mitigation funds, according to Caribou County Emergency Services Manager Eric Hobson. “By the end of the week, Bancroft, Grace, Soda Springs, and the Commissioners will hopefully have signed off on it so it can be officially approved. FEMA might take a bit longer. I don’t foresee any changes between now and then, though.”

“When we had the last one, that spurred some action. Obviously, we know we’re earthquake prone. There are some places that will tell you they can predict a quake exactly, but most of the experts we talked to seem to agree that it’s really an educated guess.” Hobson and the county have been working with some of those experts at getting better readings on the geology of the area.

The most recent larger earthquake was a 4.2 magnitude quake in January of 2021 near the Caribou/Bear Lake border.

“It was out by Fossil Basin, about six miles east of Soda Springs. That was over 4, so it was pretty significant,” Hobson said. “I don’t mean to sound nonchalant about the smaller ones, but we get a lot of smaller ones—a three or a two—a few times a year. They come, they shake a little bit, we talk about it on Facebook and life moves on.”

“But we did earthquake surveys in the aftermath of the 2021 quake,” Hobson said. The surveys were performed as part of an HMGP (Hazard Mitigation Grant Program) with the state of Idaho.

“They came and surveyed a lot of our public infrastructure and found that we have a lot

of ‘concern’ buildings, but not any more than other communities with aging buildings. Idaho implemented building construction for earthquake years ago. But our historical buildings are a little different. We looked at options for grants and retrofitting. Unfortunately, retrofitting a building often means paying what you would to build a new building three times the size.”

There are some locations with the resources to fully retrofit old buildings to quakeproof them—Japan is one of the clearest examples of undertaking such a feat—but for most cities, counties, and even countries the costs of doing so are prohibitive.

“So, we haven’t pursued some of those options,” Hobson said. “We have pursued education, though. We’ve had people come up to speak about earthquake readiness, and we’ve identified some of our what we can do moving forward in the mitigation plan. We monitor it, we look at it, we promote earthquake safety, but unfortunately we do have a number of hundred plus year old buildings where we don’t always have a lot of options.”

Earthquakes are listed alongside wildfires and winter storms as the biggest potential disaster threats the county faces. The mitigation plan was developed over the course of a number of public and stakeholder meetings involving residents, emergency service personnel, city and county officials, and many others. Threats such as power outages, internet attacks, domestic terrorism, flooding, civil unrest, and a range of other potential issue were discussed

On Page 3

Recovery continues after Myanmar quake

As of press time at the beginning of the week, the official death toll from last week’s 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Myanmar has risen to more than 2,000 people. The quake, which happened last Friday with an epicenter near the highly populated city of Mandalay, was responsible for widespread destruction and loss of life, including a number of schoolchildren, monks, and Ramadan observers, according to reporting from the Associated Press. In the aftermath of the earthquake, power outages, fuel shortages, and communication blackouts have hampered rescue and recovery efforts. As a result of ongoing civil conflict, Myanmar is already a very difficult location for aid organizations to operate in. At least 150 Buddhist monks were killed when a monastery collapsed during the quake, and over 700 worshippers at Friday prayers were also killed in mosque collapses, affecting over 60 structures across the country. According to some sources, there are at least 4,000 injured people who are in critical conditions, and an unknown total number of missing people. Due to the various factors on the ground, there is no clear sense of the extent of the tragedy at this point, but the numbers of those affected are likely to skyrocket in coming days, according to relief organizations.

Kempthorne announces cancer diagnosis

Former Idaho Governor Dirk Kempthorne, has announced a positive colon cancer diagnosis. Kempthorne served as Idaho’s 30th governor over two terms, and served in the U.S. Senate, as well as a member of the George W. Bush administration. Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, but it also one of the most treatable forms of the disease when caught early. As Kempthorne enters treatment, he urges Idahoans to pursue routine cancer screenings, and suggests that tackling cancer will be the “challenge of a lifetime” for him. The recommended age for a colonoscopy screening is 45, which is younger than the 50 that had been recommended for many years. Practitioners have seen an increase in the number of colon cancer diagnoses for younger people over the last decade, and the lowered age is an attempt to catch more cases earlier.

This year’s Caribou County Distinguished Young Women program will be held Saturday, April 12 at 7:00 pm at the Soda Springs High School auditorium. Program tickets are available at Caribou Jack’s in Soda Springs and can be purchased for $10. There will be a dress rehearsal open to the public on Friday, April 11 at 7:00 pm. Tickets for the dress rehearsal are general seating and can be purchased for $5. They will only be available at the door.

Join the young ladies as they celebrate this year’s theme, “Inspire”. The hosts for the evening will be Dana McCurdy along with the 2024 DYW, Kate Williams. The stars of the night will be eight extremely talented young women from our own Caribou County. Please plan on attending. It will be a night to remember.

The young women are:

Hayden Ball

Hayden is the daughter of Doug and Kathlynn Ball. She is a student at Grace High School. She plans to attend Brigham Young University or Utah Tech University, with a career goal of becoming a physical therapist. For her talent, Hayden will be performing a drum solo.

AmeliaRose Harris

AmeliaRose is the daughter of Chad and Lacey Harris. She is a student at Soda Springs High School with plans to attend Utah State University. Her career goal is to be a dental hygienist or accountant.

DYW On Page 4

Legislative session continues into April

The original date of March 21 has come and gone for the hoped end to the 2025 legislative session, so lawmakers will be staying in Boise awhile longer to finish things out before they head home to their districts. Last week, the Senate announced plans to adjourn until this week so that it could continue to hash out the state budget, which has to be passed by both chambers before it can be finalized. The “budget” is composed of many smaller budgets that need to all be reconciled by Idaho statute into balance between expenses and projected funds. Some friction on the Senate side led to what is likely to be another week in the capitol before things are fully wrapped up.

EARTHQUAKE READINESS

2024 DYW Kate Williams

One of Caribou County's primary fault lines runs near the captive geyser and is partly responsible for the geologic activity in the area.

COMMUNITY NOTES

BY BETH CHEIRRETT

Did you know that our wonderful library offers 3D printing services? It has become a very popular and needed resource for the community. The current printers have been experiencing technical issues, and many patrons were experiencing significant delays in their projects. The librarians asked if we could help, and here is the result - a brand new printer that's ready to rock n' roll! This will be an amazing addition to the lineup.

Thank you to everyone who participated in our mini golf night! The funds raised went towards this purchase.

Donkey Basketball in North Gem April 9

Next week, the North Gem gym will host the time-honored spectacle of Donkey Basketball at 7:00 p.m. The Class of 2025 is sponsoring the event, which so far features the participation of North Gem Alumni, Employees, and Athletes. Contact the school at 208-648-7848 for more information on joining the fun! Tickets cost $15 for adults, $12 for students, and $9 for children at the gate. Tickets are $2 less with advance purchase.

Fundraiser for

Lady Grizzlies

The Lady Grizzlies volleyball team is offering the unique service of pre-filling Easter eggs to be scattered in your yard before Easter, with a special note from the Easter Bunny! Proceeds will go to support the volleyball team for their upcoming season. The cost is $25 for 25 eggs, $45 for 50 eggs, $65 for 75 eggs, and $85 for 100 eggs. You can contact Kayci Younger at 208-840-0182 to order. Please place your orders by April 14 to support the team!

Easter schedule of events for the First Presbyterian Church

April 13. Palm Sunday service 10:30 a.m.

April 18 7 P.M. Good Friday Service

April 20. 10:30 A.M. Easter Service

Pot luck dinner following service

Easter Walk returns to Soda April 13, 15, and 16

Last year, the Soda Springs Stake hosted its first ever non-denominational Easter Walk event at the building on 290 S 3rd West in Soda. The event allowed visitors to walk through a series of rooms devoted to telling the story of Easter week at an Open House to which everyone is invited.

The walk is being put on again this year, and is a wonderful Easter tradition for anyone who may have missed last year’s event, or would like to experience it again.

The doors wil be open in the stake house from 6 pm to 8 pm on April 13, 15, and 16. Come and visit your friends and neighbors as they help tell the story of the passion, crucifixion, and resurrection at the heart of the season.

Fundraiser for Autumn Bitton April 19 at Stockman’s

Join us as we come together as friends and community to support one of our own during a tough time. Autumn Bitton lost her husband Brad in a horrific car accident on February 26. Although we cannot mend her shattered heart, we can help alleviate the financial burden she bears Autumn was born and raised in Soda Springs. She is always contributing to the community as a member of Small Town Big Hearts, painting the insignia on the Search & Rescue Building, donating her artwork, and volunteering at various fundraisers. It's time to pay it forward and return all the love Autumn has given others.

We will have a day filled with pool, dart & cornhole tournaments, raffles, silent auction & spaghetti dinner. Join us for a chance to win a Henry Golden Boy Lever Action Rifle. Raffle tickets are $20 each, or you can grab 6 for $100. You can purchase your tickets at Stockman’s Bar. The raffle will be held on Saturday, April 19, with all proceeds going to support Autumn. Don’t miss out on supporting this great cause, and taking your shot at this amazing prize!

Spread the Love! Darts start at 10 am, everything else at 12 pm.

Sound of Music Auditions announced

The Caribou Community Theater Guild is excited to announce auditions for its upcoming production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's The Sound of Music! Auditions will be held on April 25 from 6-9 PM and April 26 from 9-12 PM. A pianist will be accompanying, so please bring your sheet music or a recording. Virtual auditions are available by appointment only. Don’t miss your chance to be part of this classic musical, running from July 21-23. For more information or to schedule a virtual audition (by appointment only) contact the guild's Facebook page, or a board member.

Extension Office Celebrates Spring!

BY RACHEL HAMILTON, EXTENSION OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR

The Caribou County Extension office put on a Baby Animal Day and Plant Education Day on Friday March 21st, to celebrate the beginning of spring, at the Caribou County Fair grounds. The event was sponsored by Nutrien and was a huge success! We had over two hundred adults and kids from around Caribou County attend. Members of the Caribou County Fair and Rodeo Royalty were on hand to help.

The kids were able to hold baby chicks and ducklings and pet baby goats and a baby calf and piglet. There was a mini pony available for the kids to pet and brush off. There were puppies to hold and a lamb. There were even mice, a cat, and a bunny available. The kids were able to learn about soil and plants. They made soil cups out of cookies and pudding and there was a fodder system on hand to learn about growing food for the animals. The Extension office would like to thank everyone that participated and helped. They would also like to thank Nutrien for sponsoring the event. The Extension is planning on doing it again next year!

Pictured from left to right: Hope Hansen, Library Director; Dorajo Messerly, Children's Librarian & Friends Liaison; Victoria Smith, Librarian; Sabrina Mills, Friends Representative; Ronda Lutz, Ireland Bank Branch Manager (Presenting Sponsor of the Mini Golf Night)

Paige Clements (Caribou County First Attendant) and Addison Wright (Caribou County Junior Queen).

Over 220 people attended the event, which was a huge success.

Adi Wright with a chick about as new as you can find them!

A Baby Animal event was held at the Fairgrounds by the Extension Office.

The epicenter of the 2021 earthquake was near Fossil Basin between Georgetown and Soda Springs.

Earthquake Readiness

continued from front page

and various mitigation plans were developed for those threats considered most urgent.

Having the threats identified in the plan, and a record of the county’s mitigation solutions for them, provides a means for securing disaster funding through FEMA in the event of an emergency. The sheer scale of most natural disasters in terms of financial recovery is staggering, which is one strong reason to make sure that all available political, economic, and human resources are ready for deployment.

It also explains why the mitigation part of the plan is so essential. As Hobson explains, “the saying is that one dollar on mitigation makes up for four dollars spent on disaster.”

While it’s obviously a good thing that there has not been a recent major earthquake, it also means that there is not a lot of direct experience with them.

“That quake [in 2021] was a learning experience for me. I’m in my garage, and I look up and my roof is shaking as I’m sitting there. I can watch the joists going back and forth and I’m thinking ‘well, that’s not good.’ And then after a minute I realized I’d better go outside because, you know, my garage was shaking. And then I realized that, holy crap, we just had an earthquake! I remember it was a Sunday afternoon, so I had to figure out who do you call for this? How do you take care of this? Finally, I called the weather service because I knew there was someone there. And they just said, ‘oh yeah, we felt it too in Pocatello.’ They told me to call the USGS, but of course no one was there because it was Sunday. Ultimately, they told me that they contract out for earthquake monitor-

ing and told me to call University of Idaho. I called them, and they told me that since we were in the Bear River Basin, it was the U of U that I needed to talk to.”

“They were great to work with. They were up here for a week with their team. They came up here with their surveys, installed the seismographs and got us connected.”

With monitoring providing some potential early warning, the county will move forward with other mitigations outlined in the All-Hazard plan, we should be available to the public after it is approved. The plan covers many potential natural disasters and threats, with Hobson agreeing that wildfire is perhaps the most pressing.

“Every five years, FEMA requires us to have a plan in place. We make the plans, we identify the hazards, and we identify plans. A lot of the projects I do have to do with wildfire mitigation. We’re doing fuel mitigation right now. We’ve put in some road projects that we’re hoping to get funded through the process. And the cities are involved with the plans. A lot of city projects involving infrastructure upgrades and other things are in there.”

The county has been using SICOG (Southeast Idaho Council of Governments) to administer grants and contracting for disaster mitigation projects and Hobson feels that “they’ve been great. They are unbelievably fairly priced—they look at the budget and make sure they can work it to support communities like ours in the best way possible. It’s been super nice for us.”

It can be hoped that no serious earthquake event will occur in the area anytime soon, but it’s somewhat reassuring to know that if it does those who will be on the front lines of response are taking it seriously.

North of

Springs is another fault area heading out of the city

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:

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The Idaho Enterprise reserves the right to refuse publication of any or all materials.

Brandon Hall Editor brandon.h@thecityjournals.com Bryan Dean Scott Publisher bryan.s@thecityjournals.com

Legislative Update-Senator Mark Harris

Dear friends and neighbors — We are getting close to ending this Legislative Session. The Idaho State Constitution requires the Legislature to stay in Session until the budgets are passed. The Joint Finance and Appropriation Committee (JFAC), which sets these budgets, finished its work this week and has declared itself only in session “Subject to Call of the Chair”. This means they will only go back into session as a committee if the Chair calls them back. Unfortunately, they will have to go back a few times as the House has been killing budget bills as they come up for a vote on the House floor. This means the budgets need to go back to JFAC for reviewing and rewriting. This has become the norm so it is not unexpected, but these setbacks should not keep us here too much longer once the budgets come to their respective floors to be heard and debated.

Governor Little signed House Bill 304 (H304) into law this week. This is the property tax reduction bill passed by the Senate last week. This bill provides $50 million to go towards homeowners directly and another $50 million will go to school districts because of House Bill 292 that was passed in the 2023 Legislative Session. This money will go towards paying down school bonds and levies, thereby providing property tax relief to all taxpayers. With H304, and both H40 and H 231 passed earlier this Session, the Legislature and the Governor have secured close to $400 million in total tax relief during this Legislative Session.

One bill I carried on the Senate floor this week was House Bill 389 (H389). This is an interesting bill as it helps the State of Idaho in fighting wildfires. Currently, the Idaho Department of Lands has the mission to put out fires as quickly as possible. The federal government, for the most part, has the mission to manage wildfires but not necessarily put them out quickly. H389 gives the Governor the authority to declare an emergency regarding fires so that he may

Legislative

direct State agencies to go onto federally controlled land to put out fires without waiting for permission. The bill also directs the Attorney General to recover the cost in a civil action against the federal government. Last year, a total of 996,000 acres of Idaho burned. Half the National Forests in Idaho have either burned or are at a very high risk of burning to the point where our forests are now classified as carbon emitters. We have heard from many federal land fire eyewitnesses that firefighters were told to “stand down” regarding trying to protect private property. Many of these fires started with a single lightning strike and could have been fought while they were still small and manageable. Inaction by our federal partners ended up with huge out-ofcontrol fires that cost millions of dollars to fight. H389 will give the Governor another tool to help fight fires before they get too big.

As this Session begins winding down, I wish to express my gratitude for the opportunity to represent District 35 and serve you in the Idaho State Senate. I welcome your thoughts, concerns, and any questions you have about the Legislature or State government in general. You can email me at mharris@senate.idaho.gov or call me at 208-332-1308.

Update--

Rep. Josh Wheeler

As we approach Sine Die, I’ve taken time this week to reflect on the wins, lessons, and areas for growth from this year’s legislative session. Among the most significant victories was the passage of House Bill 445, which establishes ongoing funding for water infrastructure projects across Idaho. This is likely the single most impactful piece of legislation we passed this year—an investment not just in today's needs, but in the long-term stability and sustainability of our state's most critical natural resource.

I was also proud to join Governor Little at the signing ceremony for House Bill 134, which improves access to early breast cancer detection for women throughout Idaho. This bill will save lives. In a moving show of solidarity, several of us in the legislature shaved our heads in support of a colleague beginning chemotherapy for her own breast cancer journey. It was a powerful reminder that public service is as much about compassion and humanity as it is about policy. I still catch myself by surprise when I look in the mirror and see a bald man looking back.

Sherrie Wise Advertising sherrie.w@thecityjournals.com

Phone: 208-766-4773 www.cariboucountynews.com

On the budget front, funding for public school facilities, the Idaho Digital Learning Academy, and the Departments of Lands and Finance all advanced. These are vital pieces that will support education, responsible land management, and financial stewardship. However, I was disappointed to see House Bill 443 fail. It would have strengthened a fund to incentivize private investment into Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs—something I believe is still worth pursuing in the future.

This year, I saw once again how some of the most effective legisla-

tion comes directly from conversations with people back home. Many of the ideas I’ve carried forward— including bills now signed into law—began with a concern raised at a town hall, a message sent via email, or a simple conversation. Your input makes a real difference. That said, not everything went the way I hoped. I was disappointed in the slow pace and lack of transparency from the budget process this year. Decisions were slower, and the public—and even some legislators—had less visibility into negotiations than I believe is healthy for a functional democratic process. It’s an area where we must do better.

I remain deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve District 35. Thank you for staying engaged, for reaching out, and for keeping me grounded in the values and needs of our community.

Sincerely,

Josh Wheeler Idaho State Representative, District 35

Hooper

DYW

For her talent, AmeliaRose will be performing a piano solo.

Paetyn Hopkins

Paetyn is the daughter of Kimi Hopkins and is a student at Soda Springs High School. Her career goal is to become an Obstetrician-Gynecologist.

For her talent, Paetyn will perform a vocal solo.

Tessica Jorgensen

Tessica is the daughter of Keith and Becky Jorgensen. She is a student at Grace High School. She is planning on attending Brigham Young University with a future career as an occupational therapist.

For her talent, Tessica will perform a self-written monologue.

Mollie Renfroe

Mollie is the daughter of Allen and Rebecca Renfroe. She is a student at Soda Springs High School. Mollie plans to attend BYU-Idaho, and her career goal is to become an author, biologist, or horticulturist.

For her talent, Mollie will perform a piano solo.

Lynlee Dilworth

Lynlee is the daughter of Lance and Moria Dilworth. She is a student at Soda Springs High School with plans to attend College of Eastern Idaho. Her career goal is to become a neonatal nurse, midwife, traveling nurse, and dance instructor.

For her talent, Lynlee will be performing a lyrical dance.

Kayla Rigby

Kayla is the daughter of Wade and

Cassie Rigby. She is a student at Grace High School and plans to attend Idaho State University. She plans to pursue a career as a physical therapist.

For her talent, Kayla will recite a self-written poem.

Kallie Stoddard

Kallie is the daughter of Jason and Kimberly Stoddard. She is a student at Grace High School. Kallie plans to attend BYU, BYU-Idaho, Stanford University, or Harvard University. Her career goal is to become an organizational development consultant or a sports psychologist.

For her talent, Kallie will perform a piano solo.

The 2025 Caribou County Distinguished Young Women program is graciously sponsored by the Soda Springs Lions Club.

Begun in 1958, Distinguished Young Women has impacted the lives of more than 770,000 young women. Our mission is to empower high school young women by providing scholarship opportunities, developing self-confidence and teaching life skills needed for success in college and beyond. National sponsors include Mobile County, City of Mobile, Alabama Power Foundation, Encore Rehabilitation, Wintzell’s Oyster House, Master Boat Builders, Barbara Barrington Jones Family Foundation, Evonik, Regions Financial Corporation, Jostens and Alabama Media Group.

For more information about Distinguished Young Women, contact Tara Principe, National Headquarters Marketing and Communications Director, at 251-438-3621 or tara@DistinguishedYW.org or visit www.DistinguishedYW.org.

continued from front page

Lynlee Dilworth

Hayden Ball

Paetyn Hopkins

AmeliaRose Harris

Kayla Rigby

Mollie Renfroe

Tessica Jorgensen

Kallie Stoddard

A Ray of Life

BY ALLISON ELIASON

When you consider all of the must have for an agriculture operation to run, you begin thinking about manpower, land, equipment, even water. On a list of readily made resources or a producer would have various barns or sheds, stacks of hay or silos filled with grain, acres of farmland and range, the irrigating pivots and lines that stretch across the fields, and all the tractors to work the land from spring planting to fall harvest. But on that list I would bet there is one thing missing that every farmer and rancher has at their disposal and desperately needs- life giving sunshine.

That might sound overly dramatic but have you ever really thought of the magic of the sun? A resource given daily, at no cost, no request, and without it, not a single ag operation would survive. Truthfully, it is a marvel that is all too often overlooked.

As the days begin to grow longer, that warm sunshine has begun melting the winter snow and bringing up the small tufts of spring green marking the beginning of a new growing season. While we might appreciate the sun and the warmth necessary for new life to grow, have you ever really thought about how the sunshine transforms barren fields to lush crops?

Let's break it down.

All life requires energy. And according to the First Law of Thermodynamics, energy cannot be created or destroyed. It can only change form or be transferred from one object to another. Humans and animals get their energy from the things they eat, taking in energy already created. Plants on the other hand, take in energy from the sun

to create usable energy through the process of photosynthesis.

Within every plant cell is a structure responsible for absorbing and storing the energy from the sun's light waves. Those light waves are made up of ultra microscopic chargeless, massless particles called photons. As the photons in the light wave hit the plant, they transfer their energy and excite the chlorophyll within the plant cell that begins a chain reaction to create ATP, the energy currency of all living things.

In both plants and animals, ATP is stored as glucose. ATP and glucose are constantly being created and broken down, used and stored, to keep up with the organisms energy needs.

In plants, glucose is not only used as energy for the plant to grow and function, but also to build cellular structures as it is converted into cellulose, the main structural component of plant cell walls, providing rigidity and support. Some excess glucose is also stored as starch, a complex carbohydrate, which serves as a long-term energy reserve for the plant. As the plant is consumed by people or animals, the stored energy is then taken up to again be stored or used.

Not only does the sun provide the solar energy to excite and begin the cascade of energy acreating reactions, it also provides thermal energy. This energy we experience as warmth, causes the enzymes and molecules within the plant cell to move more quickly, lending to a higher number of collisions. More collisions, the way molecules combine, mean more opportunities for the enzyme substrates to be made, increasing the rate of photosynthesis. In short, the warmer the tem -

BRAIN TEASERS

perature, the faster a plant’s reactions will create energy.

On warm spring days when the sun is beating at its best, farmers and ranchers will tout that the grass has jumped or their crops have suddenly sprung up. In a real sense, they are right. Those plants had a jump in energy delivered by the sun, both in the number of photons exciting the chain reactions and the temperature that increased the reactions within the plant. The sudden increase in energy from the sun stimulated greater growth in the plant, so much that it is visible to those closely watching.

Science has proven capable of providing similar solar and thermal energy to support plant life like the sun, but it is impossible to create the amount of sunshine spread daily across the agriculture world.

Without the almost magical power of the sun, food production from potatoes to strawberries to wheat to alfalfa would cease to exist. Cattle couldn’t harness the power of the sun, eating grass grown from its rays, and then turning it into mouth watering steaks. Pigs couldn’t create pork chops or bacon and chickens wouldn’t produce eggs or tasty wings.

There are a lot of resources we need, some absolutely crucial to maintaining our operations. But likely, none more important than the constantly renewing, freely given, power of the sunshine that makes agriculture possible. Maybe as you step out in the morning tomorrow, feeling those first rays across your face, give a little thanks for those beams that provide all life.

Agricultural Scholarships

The Caribou Soil Conservation District (SCD) is awarding one qualified high school senior from Caribou County with up to a $1,000.00 agricultural scholarship. Applications can be picked up at the office at each high school, or emailed upon request.

Applicants must have at least a one page write-up telling about themselves and why they are going into an agricultural related field. They must also have one recommendation letter from a teacher,

counselor, or other advisor, along with their current transcript.

Applications may either be e-mailed, dropped off at the office, or mailed to the Caribou SCD, 390 East Hooper Ave., Soda Springs, Idaho 83276. Applications must be submitted by 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. If you have any questions please feel free to contact Erin Appleby at 970-846-2254 or email her at: caribouscd@gmail.com

EVENT CALENDARS LUNCH MENUS

SODA SPRINGS/ CARIBOU COUNTY

April 3, Thursday

Library Story Time (10am)

Catholic Daily Mass (6:30pm)

Addition Recovery Program (7pm)

IDAN-HA Movie –Track @ Preston

April 4, Friday

Catholic Daily Mass (9am)

IDAN-HA Movie –

April 5, Saturday

IDAN-HA Movie –

April 6, Sunday

Presbyterian Services

Caribou Bible Church Services

Catholic Mass (8:30am)

Open Arms Church Services

LDS Services

Hope Lutheran Church

April 7, Monday

Catholic Daily Mass (9am)

Golf @ Grace Varsity

April 8, Tuesday

Planning and Zoning

April 9, Wednesday

Catholic Daily Mass (9am)

IDAN-HA Movie –

BB @ Declo

SB @ Declo Track @ West Side

April 10, Thursday

Library Story Time (10am)

Catholic Daily Mass (6:30pm)

Addition Recovery Program (7pm)

IDAN-HA Movie –

BB @ Glenn’s Ferry Tournament

GRACE

April 3, Thursday

Library Story Time (10 am)

City Council (6 pm)

Spring Break Scratch for Schools

April 4, Friday

Spring Break

HS Track @ Preston

April 6, Sunday

LDS Services

Caribou Bible Church (2 pm)

April 7, Monday

HS Golf @ Grace

April 9, Wednesday

School Board Meeting

HS Track @ Preston JV

April 10, Thursday

Library Story Time (10 am) Planning and Zoning (7pm)

BANCROFT

April 3, Thursday

Track @ Murtaugh

April 6, Sunday

LDS Services

April 7, Monday

Board Meeting (6:30 pm)

April 9, Wednesday Donkey Basketball

MS Track @ West Side

April 10, Thursday Track @ Carey

NEWS OF RECORD

CARIBOU COUNTY SHERIFF

Joaquin Gonzalez Maldonado, Farson, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50

SODA SPRINGS POLICE

Hector Saul Lopezgarcia, San Rafael, speeding (16 mph or over0, $98.50, costs $56.50; driving without privileges, $150.00, costs $172.50

BIRTHDAYS

Gerald Young, Apr. 2

Tom Cartwright, Apr. 4

Jackie Winward, Apr. 4

Brett Lynn Crump, Apr. 11

Janice Jackson, Apr. 11

Jim Farmer, Apr. 11

Jennifer Jones, Apr. 13

Ebony Spruill, Apr. 16

Flossie Madson, Apr. 18

Carol Durfee, Apr. 19

Jessica Fuechsel, Apr. 20

Gary Lemarr, Apr. 20

DeVaughn Smith, Apr. 20

Robyn Alleman, Apr. 23

Paula Burgin, Apr. 23

IDAHO STATE POLICE

Tina M Guedes, Soda Springs, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50

Dalton H West, Pocatello, speeding (16 mph or over), $98.50, costs $56.50

Timothy Edward Wyman, Kearns, speeding, $33.50, costs $56.50

SODA SPRINGS LUNCH MENU

Lunches served with Fruit, Veggies & Milk

Monday, April 7

Chicken nuggets, Chips

Tuesday, April 8

Ribs, Mashed Potatoes

Wednesday, April 9

Pancakes,Sausage patty

Thursday, April 10

Sloppy Joe

NORTH GEM LUNCH MENU

Milk and Choice of Bar Each Day

Monday, April 7

Pizza Kits, Sloppy Joes, Deli Bar, Corn, Mandarin Oranges

Tuesday, April 8

Spaghetti w/ Breadstick, Deli Bar, Roasted Squash, Peaches

Terry Mortenson, Apr. 25

Rick Stringham, Apr. 25

Roy Brown, Apr. 26

Benjimn Beckstead, Apr. 26

Larry Peterson, Apr. 28

Pat Farnes, Apr. 28

Lucetta Holt, Apr. 29

Larita May Brown, Apr. 30

Ralph (Duffy) Woolsey, Apr. 30

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

Wednesday, April 9

Bacon Ranch Flatbread, Deli Bar, Brocc./Caul. Bake, Pineapple Crisp

Thursday, April 10

Super Nachos, Deli Bar, Seasoned Black Beans, Banana Splits

GRACE LUNCH MENU

Lunches served with Milk

Monday, April 7

CHICKEN BURGER,Tots

FOOD CHOICES, Green Beans, Pears

Tuesday, April 8

QUESADILLA, FOOD CHOICES, Refried Beans, Corn, Applesauce

Wednesday, April 9

BREAKFAST, FOOD CHOICES, Hash browns, Fresh Veggies, Mandarin Oranges

Thursday, April 10

PIZZA, FOOD CHOICES, Salad, Pears

CARIBOU COUNTY SENIOR CITIZENS' MENU

Every meal served with Juice/Milk/Coffee

April 4 - Broccoli Beef w/Rice, Pears, Wheat Bread, Caramel Cake

April 9 - Hamburger Steak w/ Mashed Potatoes, California Veggies, Sourdough Bread, Peaches, Monster Cookie

*Birthday Cake and Ice Cream is served in-house only!

ON THIS DAY

1776 Harvard College votes to award George Washington an honorary Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) degree

1860 Start of the Pony Express, delivers mail by horse and rider relay teams between St. Joseph, Missouri and Sacramento, California

1882 American outlaw Jesse James is shot in the back of the head and killed by fellow gang member Robert Ford at home in St. Joseph, Missouri

1882 Wood block alarm invented, when alarm rang, it dropped 20 wood blocks

1910 Highest Mountain in North America, Alaska's Mt. McKinley, claimed to have been first climbed by 4 local men

1926 Second flight of a liquid-fueled rocket by Robert Goddard

1933 First airplane flight over Mt. Everest

1953 American magazine "TV Guide" publishes first issue; cover features photo of Lucille Ball's new born baby boy, Desiderio Alberto Arnaz lV (later professionally known as Desi Arnaz, Jr.)

1955 The American Civil Liberties Union announces it will defend Allen Ginsberg's book "Howl" against obscenity charges

1968 Science fiction film "Planet of the Apes", starring Charlton Heston and Roddy McDowell, opens nationally in United States

1973 First mobile phone call is made in downtown Manhattan, NYC by Motorola employee Martin Cooper to the Bell Labs headquarters in New Jersey

1979 Jane M Byrne (D), elected first woman mayor of Chicago, Illinois

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 Southeastern Idaho Public Health has confirmed a case of Covid-19 in Caribou County. This brings the total to eight cases (five in Bannock County, two in Bingham County, and one in Caribou County) in southeast Idaho as of Saturday, April 4. The patient is a female in her 50s from Caribou County. The case appears to be travel related. She is home recovering. Epidemiologists at SIPH are working to investigate possible contacts. All household members of the confirmed cases have been asked to self-isolate at home for a prescribed period of time. If other people are found to have been exposed, health officials will provide guidance to these individuals and they will be asked to self-monitor for the development of the symptoms. SIPH will continue to monitor the situation closely and is working with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, city and county leaders, schools, emergency management, healthcare providers, and our community at large to help prevent the spread of this virus.

In order to keep Idahoans safe amid a growing global health pandemic and protect their right to vote, Idahoans will vote in the May primary exclusively from home using absentee ballots. If you want to vote in the election, you will need to request your ballot online or contact your local county clerk. Given the growing number of COVID cases in Idaho, it was deemed not safe for voters, elections workers, or the larger community to hold in-person voting for the May primary. Having Idahoans request an absentee ballot and vote at home will protect the health of residents of the state, slow the spread of Coronavirus, allow the election to move forward as scheduled and ensure that everyone can still exercise their right to vote, the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office said.

The Idaho State Tax Commission alerted Idahoans to be on the lookout for scams related to the economic stimulus payments from the Trump administration in response to the quarantine. Scammers reportedly are targeting taxpayers and tax professionals by phishing for banking information and Social Security numbers in the guise of helping taxpayers get their stimulus payments.

District Judge Mitchell Brown explained the recent Supreme Court order to scale back the court calendar due to the epidemic. The courtroom will be used for emergencies only, such as protection orders and guardianships. Only essential people will be present in the courtroom during proceedings, which are parties and witnesses to the case, along with courtroom personnel. Video conferencing will be utilized to avoid transporting and having inmates together in a holding cell. Judge Brown said he expects a tremendous backlog once the order is lifted. The Probation Department will not be performing drug testing at this time. They will also be monitoring the front door of the courthouse to limit authorized access only. The Road and Bridge Department will only be meeting outside when necessary, and will no longer carpool in county vehicles. Commissioner Mathews said employees who believe they may have been exposed or are experiencing symptoms of the virus need to stay home. Passports will not be processed in the Clerk’s Office at this time. The commissioners approved the county order to restrict entering into the courthouse until further notice. Patrons can do business online or over the phone if possible. The Probation Department has the authority to refuse access into the courthouse under the order. The governor’s directive of 10 or fewer people in the same room will be followed and ravel only when necessary. Sheriff Kelly Wells said ITD has allowed a 90-day extension for driver’s license renewal.

The Caribou County Food Bank will continue to be open during its usual hours, Wednesday 1 to 3 pm. Due to the pandemic, the procedure for receiving food bank supplies has changed. The SEICAA office will not be used and pa-

trons should call ahead and bring their list of needed items to the large garage door at the west end of the building.

“We are striving to keep the food bank accessible to people in need during this worrisome time, and know that it will be different for patrons, not being able to shop as usual. We hope this will be an acceptable procedure for the health and safety of all. We hope to help everyone receive what they need, within the means of the food bank. Anyone who is ill of finds it impossible to get to the food bank should call. The kind people of Caribou County have been dropping off extra donations. Please do not leave any donations without contacting someone first, as we hate to see your generosity go to waste.”

A couple of dozen cars full od educators, staff, and friends were lined up on Friday at Kelly Park Road to “keep their distance” and drive by to sing and wish a happy birthday to Carolyne Stewart, who lives along the road and is a senior at SSHS. The small town effort was greatly appreciated. The singing of Happy Birthday has been a tradition to her and was continued again, proper distancing notwithstanding.

2010

Cohen Croney, Bancroft route carrier received special recognition from Bancroft Postmaster Leola Casperson on Wednesday, March 24. Cohen received a special pin and a letter from William Scouten, Postmaster of Postal Operations, for having accumulated 2,500 hours of sick leave. Cohen has been a rural route carrier for 27 ½ years and has never used a sick day in all his years of service. He also travels a route of 54 miles per day, and has driven over 750,000 miles without an accident, His postmaster reports that he is a great employee and very easy to work with.

Peyton Rindlisbaker, son of Blair and Stephanie Rindlisbaker, won the Bancroft Pinewood Derby on Wednesday at the Bancroft LDS Church. Dalton Guthrie, son of Alfred and Jennifer Guthrie, also of Bancroft, won the Wolf Division, Dawson Barfuss, son of Danny and Malissa Barfuss, won the Bear division, and Peyton Rindlisbaker won the Webelos Division. These three winners then races against each other and Peyton came out on top. A nest of rubber boa snakes was found Sunday at a lava reef, in spite of nearby snow and near freezing temperatures. Rubber boas can be one to nearly three feet long and their dark brown scales look like rubber—or a large nightcrawler. They have short, blunt tails and small heads. They inhabit the northwest as far down as Utah and can be found at high elevations. They are very docile, move mostly at night, and fed on nesting mammals like shrews and mice, as well as young birds and reptile eggs.

2000 Peggy Strupp, Bryson, and Britta attended graduation exercises March 11 at the Guide Dog campus in Boring, Oregon, where Bryson was able to lead his recently trained dog, Zed, across the stage and present him to his new owner. The threesome drove to Boise Friday afternoon after school, where they spent the night and flew the next morning to Portland. By rental car they drove to the Guide Dog campus, located about 30 miles away in Boring where they stayed overnight. Bryson was responsible for Zed’s care and training from the age of eight weeks, until he was a year old. They sent him

to Boring last September for more specialized training and testing with professional trainers before being assigned to a blind owner.

Angela Norris and son Corbin will be leaving Friday, after visiting since February 18 in Soda Springs in the home of her in-laws, David and Carol Norris, while her husband James has been on field duty in California with the US Armed Services. This is the first time visit for the Norrises with their first grandchild, born in October in Kansas. Angela and her baby will fly to Missouri to spend the last couple of weeks with her parents before returning to Fort Riley in Kansas where James will join them in April.

Dean Tampke was sworn in Monday by Soda Springs City clerk Tausha Vorwaller as a new city police officer. Chief Blynn Wilcox is retiring April 1. The new officer has just completed his Idaho certification and training to be a peace officer. He and his family will be moving to the community from Anchorage, Alaska.

1990

Milt Gambles of Caribou County Economic Development spoke to the Soda Springs City Council about some of the activities underway to encourage expansion and bring new industry into the area. He noted that Phoenix Aviation is looking at doing molding work in Bancroft and using the Soda Springs Airport as a manufacturing location for the production of their new ultralight aircraft kits. Another company is drilling for lime in the Ten Mile Pass area. If a good enough deposit is located, it may be trucked out to the Ivins area for rail shipping. Nu-West Industries has some possible activity that may center around their materials form the manufacturing of fertilizer.

Gambles also discussed a Rotary project to fly 50 flags along the state highway in Soda Springs and Main Street. They would be 30 by 60 inches and attached to the street light poles at a purchase cost of about $50. Brackets would also have to be made to hang them from and the city agreed to make them at a savings of over $50 a piece. Mayor Kirk Hansen, a Rotarian, said the money raised from projects by that groups is being put back into the community and they gelt the money raised from a recent game they sold would be used for the flag project.

When making your summer plans, be sure to remember three Saturdays for the upcoming Resource, Conservation, and Development tours of the County being co-sponsored by the State Centennial Committee. A sister-county grant has been approved to finance these tours, in conjunction with Bear Lake County, and is being planned by the R C and D Committee, Sam Reed, Glenn Turner, and Bob Clark of the Caribou County Soil Conservation Office, and R C and D Committee, Commissioners Alton Hatch and Max Rigby, County Historical Chair Elaine Johnson and County Centennial Chair Janet Tolman. Everyone interested in joining these tours will be welcome to take all three and each should prove to be most interesting. They are free to the public. People are encouraged to take the Bear Lake County tours when they are announced. Likewise, their residents are encouraged to join with the Caribou County residents in local tours. The actual places of interest being planned in the county to be visited will be announced later. The theme is

“A

Day in the Life of Idaho.”

1970

Easter Specials at Fowler’s IGA: Eggs—2 Dozen for 83 cents. Weiners—2 pounds for 98 cents. Pie A la Mode—10 cents. Jello—9 packs for 1 dollar. Ham—65 cents/pound. Ice cream—1/2 gallon for 69 cents.

The first prize winner in the North Gem High School Science Fair was Eddy Carpenter with his project “How a Car Runs.” He will take his demonstration and project to the State Science Fair at Caldwell in April. He is the son of E.W. Carpenter of Bancroft. Other winners were Kathie Schenk, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Parley Schenk who placed second with her demonstration on “How Your Eyes Work.” Julie Argyle, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Doyle Argyle who did a project on malnutrition in mice, an Patricia Twitchell, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Angus Twitchell, who presented a demonstration on food protein and nutrition. The Science Fair was a success with almost every student in North Gem High School participating and a large crowd visiting the displays.

DeWayne Hamblin, heavy equipment operator in the Material Handling department, was selected Monsanto’s Safety-Man-of-the-Month for April. DeWayne has not experienced a reportable injury during the 16 years he has been working for Monsanto. He presently operates the plant’s huge 180D slag shovel. DeWayne states that “You can’t take care of Safety by yourself. You have to look out for the other fellow as well as yourself. Working together safely is what makes Safety work.” Working together has certainly paid off in the Material Handling Department. This department consists of 36 hourly and three salaried personnel. Their only disabling injury occurred December 4, 1954. At the present time they have completed 482 days and 107,599 man hours without an injury of any kind.

IDAN-HA THEATRE

-INDOOR-

Thursday, April 3

Friday, April 4 Saturday, April 5

Minecraft (PG)

Four misfits are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination. To get back home, they'll have to master this world while embarking on a quest with an unexpected, expert crafter.

Thursday, Friday & Saturday 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.

Saturday Matinee 2:00 p.m. (All seats $5)

Wednesday, April 9 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. (All seats $5)

208-547-3282

Last year: Despite the weather, the Fairgrounds in Grace were packed with egg hunters

NOTICE OF TRUSTEE'S SALE

On Friday, the 27th day of June, 2025, at the hour of 10:00 o'clock a.m. of said day at Alliance Title & Escrow, 71 E. 1st S. Soda Springs, in the County of Caribou, State of Idaho, Ryan M. Fawcett, as Successor Trustee, will sell at public auction, to the highest bidder, for cash, in lawful money of the United States, all payable at the time of sale, the following described real property situated in the County of Caribou, State of Idaho, and described as follows, towit:

Lot 12, Finlayson Subdivision, Soda Springs, Caribou County, Idaho, according to the official plat thereof, as filed in the office of the County Recorder of Caribou County, Idaho, under recorder’s Instrument No. 85617.

The Successor Trustee has no knowledge of a more particular description of the abovereferenced real property, but for purposes of compliance with Section 60113, Idaho Code, the Successor Trustee has been informed that the street address of 360 N. 7th E., Soda Springs, Idaho, is sometimes associated with said real property.

Said sale will be made without covenant or warranty regarding title, possession or encumbrances to satisfy the obligation secured by and pursuant to the power of sale conferred in the Deed of Trust executed by DON VERL ROSE and KAYLA ROSE, Husband and Wife, and DEBRA BROWNING, an Unmarried Woman, Grantor, to Ryan M. Fawcett, Successor Trustee, for the benefit and security of MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC, recorded March 19, 2024, as Instrument No. 212596, Mortgage records of Caribou County, Idaho; and assigned to the IDAHO HOUSING AND FINANCE ASSOCIATION by Assignment of Deed of Trust recorded on December

23, 2024, as Instrument No. 213939, Mortgage records of Caribou County, Idaho. THE ABOVE GRANTOR IS NAMED TO COMPLY WITH SECTION 451506 (4)(a), IDAHO CODE. NO REPRESENTATION IS MADE THAT THEY ARE, OR ARE NOT, PRESENTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS OBLIGATION.

Said sale is a public auction for which the bid price must be paid immediately upon close of bidding by certified funds in the form of cashier’s checks, certified checks, or valid money orders only. If the Trustee is unable to convey title for any reason whatsoever, the successful bidder’s exclusive and sole remedy shall be the return of actual monies paid to the Successor Trustee and the successful bidder shall have no further recourse.

The default for which this sale is to be made is the failure to pay when due, monthly installment payments under the Deed of Trust Note dated March 15, 2024, in the amount of $2,269.87 each, for the months of July, 2024 through January, 2025, inclusive. All delinquent payments are now due, plus accumulated late charges, plus all escrow advances, plus any costs or expenses associated with this foreclosure. The accrued interest is at the rate of 7.00% per annum from June 1, 2024, and the Beneficiary elects to sell or cause the trust property to be sold to satisfy said obligation. The principal balance owing as of this date on the obligation secured by said Deed of Trust is $289,179.75, plus accrued interest at the rate of 7.00% per annum from June 1, 2024.

NOTICE OF SALE

The Soda Springs School District is now accepting sealed bids, pursuant to I.C. 33-601, on the below listed property: Hooper Elementary School

Located at 95 E. Hooper, Soda Springs, Idaho 83276, sits on 6.07 acres and is zoned C-2 & R-2. The building was built around 1950, Soda Creek runs along the westem edge of the property. Interested parties can schedule an appointment with Soda Springs School District to inspect the property.

A cashier's check or money order for I00% of the bid must accompany the bid and the unsuccessful bidders will have their checks or money orders returned immediately after the sale.

Lane V. Erickson (ISB#: 5979)

RACINE OLSON PLLP

P. O. Box 1391

Pocatello, Idaho 83204-1391

Telephone: (208) 232-6101

Fax: (208) 232-6109

Email: lane@racineolson. com

IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF THE SIXTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT OF THE STATE OF IDAHO IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF CARIBOU

In the Matter of the Estate of:

DEBORAH K. ROGERS, Deceased.

Case No. CV15-25-0061

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE IS HEREBY

“NOTICE IS HERE BY GIVEN that the Board of Directors of the Farmers Land and Irrigation Canal Company, LTD, has determined a need and an assessment of $25.00 dollars per share, levied on the stock of the corporation, for the purposes of maintenance and operation, of the canal company payable to Farmers Land & Irrigation, % Wade Olorenshaw, 1930 Ivins Road, Bancroft, Idaho 83217 on or before the 17th day of April, 2025.

Notice is further given that said assessment must be paid before the water master can deliver any irrigation water for the 2023 irrigation season.”

Thanks Cherrie, Wade Olorenshaw

Secretary/Treasurer

#1084-04-03-10-25-T2

Sealed bids will be received until 5:00 pm on Api|23,2025, at the Soda Springs School District Administration Office, 250 East 2nd South, Soda Springs, Idaho 83276 Fax # 208-547-4878. Sealed bids will be opened at the board meeting Apii-23,2025, at the above location. Any bids received after the bid opening will not be considered.

FROM KING FEATURES WEEKLY SERVICE, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803

CUSTOMER SERVICE: (800) 708-7311 EXT. 257

FLASHBACK #12345_20250331 FOR RELEASE MARCH 31, 2025

By Mick Harper

DATED This 26th day of February, 2025.

RYAN M. FAWCETT, a Member of the Idaho State Bar, SUCCESSOR TRUSTEE

#1080-03-13-20-27-04-0325-T4

The above property has been properly appraised, and the appraisal has been entered into the records of the board of trustees. The board of trustees may accept the highest bid, may reject any bid, or reject all bids. If no satisfactory bid is made and received, the board may proceed under its own direction to sell and convey the property for the highest price the market will bear.

Conveyance will be by Quitclaim Deed.

Additional information conceming the property and the sale can be obtained at the Soda Springs School District Administration Office.

Dawn Beeton, BoardClerk Soda Springs School District No.150

#1083-04-03-10-25-T2

GIVEN that DAVID J. ROGERS has been appointed personal representative of the estate of the above-named decedent. All persons having claims against the decedent or the estate are required to present their claims within four (4) months after the date of the first publication of this Notice or said claims will be forever barred. Claims must be presented to the undersigned at the address indicated and filed with the Clerk of the Court.

DATED this 18th day of March, 2025.

RACINE OLSON PLLP

By: /S/LANE V. ERICKSON

LANE V. ERICKSON

Attorney for Personal Representative P. O. Box 1391 Pocatello, Idaho 83204-1391 lane@racineolson.com #1082-03-27-04-03-10-25-T3

1. Name the group that started as the Royal Charms, became the Gladiolas and changed to the Excellos. What name did they finally choose?

2. Which ’60s singer had hits with “Don’t Sleep in the Subway” and “Downtown”?

3. Neil Sedaka was a founding member of which group?

4. Whose version of “Without You” made it onto the list of 500 greatest songs of all time?

5. Name the song that contains this lyric: “I love every movement and there’s nothing I would change, She doesn’t need improvement, She’s much too nice to rearrange.”

Answers

1. Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs in 1959. The chose the name after spotting a Ford Zodiac while on the road. The group’s “Stay” was used in the “Dirty Dancing” soundtrack.

2. Petula Clark. Within three years (1965 to 1968). Clark had nine Top 20 hits in the U.S. and recorded songs in four languages. Among many other awards, she was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the U.K.

3. The Tokens.

4. Harry Nilsson’s 1971 cover.

5. “Poetry in Motion,” by Johnny Tillotson in 1961. While others released covers of the song, Tillotson’s was the more well known, charting around the globe. © 2025 King Features Syndicate

Caribou County has many earthquake-prone areas

While working at trying to find local sources to talk about earthquake risk with, I happened across this article in the 2020 volume of the Sun. Editor Mark Steele reprinted it in full from its July 1, 1971 issue, and I am doing the same, with the credit to Mark for editing and presenting it in 2020, and Ralph Reeves for writing the original and always timely article in 1971.

BY RALPH REEVES

NOTE: The following is a brief geologic history of the county which seems appropriate to recall in celebrating our Centennial Anniversary.

Awakened by sudden shaking of the earth, canned goods spilled from the shelves of a quiet country store in mid-afternoon, a new ranch house temporarily abandoned because of repeated earthquakes which also formed a crater nearby…these are examples of the earthquakes felt in Caribou County as the restless unstable rock masses shift along giant cracks in the earth called faults.

Southeastern Idaho and California are both located in “Seismic Area III,” the most dangerous earthquake rating, according to a map published by the U.S. Geologic Survey. Early settlers recorded earthquakes in Caribou County, and earthquake tremors have been noted from time-to-time, with an occasional stronger shock such as in 1959 when the large earthquake shook the Hebgen Lake area near West Yellowstone. “Swarms” of microshocks have been recorded near Soda Springs by sensitive seismographs.

SPECTACULAR FAULTS LOCATED IN THE AREA

Some of the worlds most spectacular faults are located bear Soda Springs. The Ledge Creek Fault creates a spectacular fault scarp cliff of broken basaltic lava rock just northeast of town, visible from the East

Side Store to the east of Highway 34.

This fault may be seen to the east of Highway 34 as one travels north toward Monsato’s phosphorus plant.

The Conda Fault crosses the Conda road one-half mile east of highway 34 and crosses highway 34 one-half mile north of the Conda road junction near the Torgesen ranch buildings, and then continues to the northwest to merge with the northward extension of the Ledge Creek Fault to form a spectacular 100 foot high fault scarp of broken basalt as it trends northwestward toward China Hat, which is a thousand foot high volcanic conce composed of rhyolite.

FAULTS FORMED LOCAL MOUNTAINS AND VALLEYS

The Scenic Bear River Valley and Bear Lake Valley, extending 60 miles from the Soda Springs area south southeast along the Bear River and past Bear Lake into Utah was formed by repeated movements along two faults on either side of the valley floor to its present elevation below the surrounding mountains. Geologists call this sort of valley a “graben,” a valley formed by two faults. Grabens abound in Caribou County, being most numerous in the China Hat area, though on a much smaller scale than the Bear River Valley graben. In the vicinity of China Hat are a succession of faults which create “horsts” (hills between two faults) and grabens. Crag Lake lies in one of these grabens and is pictures in at least one textbook to illustrate a typical graben. Just east of Crag Lake is Dike Lake, a lake formed by water leaking past a dike constructed to reduce seepage southward from this southernmost arm of Blackfoot River Reservoir. Water seeps southward from Dike Lake along failts to form swampy Five-Mile Meadows a few miles north of Hooper Springs, east of the oiled road. Wheat and barley are raised on the horsts and in the grabens with the broken rock of the

fault scarps forming boundaries between the fields. The area lies at an elevation of about 6200 feet, where spring arrives late and the snowdrifts linger until Memorial Day in the sheltered areas.

MOVEMENT ALONG FAULTS

Faults have a variety of causes. As the rock layers buckle in the process of forming mountains, faults develop and the rock layers move on each side of the fault, Some faults are nearly horizontal and the rocks move horizontally. An example of this type of fault (called a thrust fault) occurs in the Soda Springs-Montpelier area where the mountains have moved southwest. This is an old fault and hasn’t moved much in recent geologic times and consequently is largely obscured by erosion and alluvial deposits.

Other faults dip steeply into the earth and are called “normal” or “reverse” faults by geologists, depending upon certain aspects of the movement along the fault. These faults are the spectacular, visible faults of Caribou County, these are the faults along which much movement has occurred in recent geologic times, causing the earthquakes of modern times. Movement along these faults may be vertical, as along the Ledge Creek fault, or horizontal as along the Chubb Springs fault north of Henry, or a combination of vertical and horizontal movements.

MANY SPRINGS ARE FAULT RELATED

Other fault scarps lie ahead as one proceeds north of China Har on Highway 34 toward Henry. The highway curves abruptly as it crosses a fault scarp a few miles south of Henry. This fault scarp plunges into Blackfoot River Reservoir where a fault-related spring—a spring caused where movement of the rocks along this fault cut off the flow of water along a porous layer of lava cinders or other rocks ], or created a pathway of broken rocks along which water could

1. Name the group that started as the Royal Charms, became the Gladiolas and changed to the Excellos. What name did they finally choose? 2. Which ’60s singer had hits with “Don’t Sleep in the Subway” and “Downtown”?

flow—bubbles up beneath the water of the reservoir. Most of the springs in Caribou County are caused by faults, which often conduct the water to depths of as much as a few thousand feet below the surface, where it is heated by the higher temperatures found everywhere as the crust of the earth is penetrated. One such spring located in the Corral Creek area west of Blackfoot River Reservoir is sometimes visited by snowmobilers in the winter who have been known to enjoy its warmth in mid-winter.

HOT SPRINGS DEPOSIT MINERALS

To the southeast of Henry is yet another fault scarp, and at Henry are travertine terraces from a formerly large, but now much smaller spring which even now carries dissolved limestone from the depths of the faults, bringing it to the surface and depositing this limestone as travertine when the waters of the springs lose carbon dioxide to the air thereby rendering the dissolved limestone in soluble, depositing it in thick layers, a process which continues slowly today. Travertine (locally called “Formation” after the extensive travertine deposits of Formation Springs a few miles northeast of Soda Springs on Trail Canyon road) is widely deposited by Hot Springs in Caribou County.

WESTERN PHOSPHATE FIELD

To the east of Henry lies Monsanto’s Henry Mine, in the heart of the “Western Phosphate Field,” the world’s largest reserve of rock phosphate. Numerous faults break the rock layers of the mine, and are revealed as the rock is stripped away to reveal the rich phosphates which were deposited in the Phosphoria Formation by a shallow ocean 270 million years ago… phosphate deposits since raised to 7,000 feet above sea level by processes of the earth which have resulted in faults and earthquakes as the area was EARTHQUAKES

On Page 10

OBITUARY

Mads Anderson Christensen

May 28, 1945 ~ March 23, 2025

Mads Anderson Christensen, 79, of Soda Springs, Idaho passed away peacefully with family by his side on March 23, 2025. Mads was born May 28, 1945, in Soda Springs, Idaho. The son of Niels and Ruth Christensen. Mads, the final addition, was welcomed home by four brothers and six sisters. He was raised in Chesterfield, Idaho until he was twelve. The family later moved to Bancroft, Idaho where he attended North Gem. Mads was employed by Western Farm Services and worked a devoted fifty years. Mads married Barbara Swenson in 1964. To this union came a bonus daughter, Susan and soon after welcomed Patrick Mads. Mads and Barbara later divorced. Mads married his soulmate Jane Ann Long in 1980. Mads willingly accepted and took on the challenge of adding three more bonus children, Mandi, David, and Dustin, to call him dad. Mads and Jane lastly completed their family with the birth of their son Jeremy.

Mads was well known for tinkering. He could build, fix, invent, you name it. He could do it! Walking through his garage, yard, and house you can always find his collected antiques. He was always up and at it on yard sale mornings. Mads was your true outdoorsman. He loved fishing, camping, and four-wheeler riding. He rarely missed a hunting trip and has countless stories with not only family but also with many friends. Snowmobiling was a primary passion in his early life and even raced them bringing home multiple trophies. Most of all Mads was known for his love for his grandkids. He was nicknamed Grandpa Daycare because he was consistently first choice by all the kids to go spend their day with Grandpa. Mads

will forever be loved and missed by all his family, friends, and his sweet little dog Emmy.

He is survived by his wife, Jane Ann Christensen, Susan (Bob) Petersen, (Kelly) Christensen, Mandi Kelley, David (Melanie) Kelley, Dustin Kelley, Jeremy (Danielle) Christensen, 16 grandchildren, 9 great-grandchildren. Mads was preceded in death by his parents, siblings, father and mother-inlaw, son Patrick, daughter-in-law Monique, and dear nephew Nick.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, April 5, 2025, at 12:00 P.M. at the Soda Springs Stake Center at 290 South 3rd West. Visitation will be held the evening before from 6:30 to 8:00 PM and again before the service from 10:30 to 11:30 AM. Burial will take place at a later date.

DEATH NOTICE

Brent Thomas

June 8, 1956 – March 26, 2025

Brent, known to many as Joe, was born to Nelda and Kenneth Thomas. He joined the family as the youngest. He and his brother Billy were very close. His sister Lorraine was the middle child with two older brothers, Robert and Kenneth Gale. Following the death of his father, his mother moved the family from the Niter farm into the town of Grace. Later she married Dr. E.E. Herron. Brent graduated from Grace High School. He attended Links School of Business in Boise. While visiting Grace he met and later married Annette Forsgren. They made their home in Grace and raised two sons, Jeremy and Chad. After his employment with Caribou County Road and Bridge, he worked at the Simplot Conda Mine. Later, he returned to college at ISU and earned his bachelor’s degree in engineering, graduating with high honors. With the support of his family, he furthered his career as a Process Control Engineer at Monsanto

and then at the Rio Tinto Kennecott copper mine. Most recently, he was spending his retirement in Pocatello. Brent has made lifelong friendships and acquaintances along the way.

Brent is survived by his wife of 50 years, Annette Thomas, his sister Lorraine Merrell (Kevin), brother Kenneth Gale Thomas, son Jeremy Thomas, grandson Emmett Thomas, son Chad Thomas (Christina), granddaughter Aspen Thomas, mother-in-law Deann Forsgren, sister-in-law Sharon Harwood (Rick), sister-in-law Judy Fowler, brotherin-law Todd Forsgren, brother-in-law Leland Forsgren (Amy), as well as many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his mother Nelda Thomas Herron, father Kenneth Thomas, stepfather E. E. Herron, brother Robert Thomas, brother William (Billy) Thomas, nephew Kenny Thomas, and his grandparents.

Funeral services will be held Friday, April 4th at 12 noon at the Grace Stake Center. Visitation is from 10:30 to 11:30 before the service.

Fish and Game Corner

Bannock Reservoir –

1,000 rainbow trout

Located within the Portneuf Wellness Complex Park near the County Fairgrounds in Pocatello, this community park offers trout fishing with many recreational amenities nearby. Multiple docks provide fishing access around this 5-acre pond.

Chesterfield Reservoir –

19,200 rainbow trout

Known for BIG fish, this reservoir is a popular spot to plan a great fishing trip. This is the workhorse fishery of the Southeast Region!

Crowthers Reservoir –

2,200 rainbow trout

Tucked away on the northern edge of Malad City, this reservoir provides a nice local fishing spot.

Edson Fichter Pond –

950 rainbow trout

This community pond is located along the Portneuf River at Edson Fichter Nature Area. It features several docks and a trail for access around the pond. Just minutes from downtown Pocatello, this site offers local anglers a convenient escape close to home.

Foster Reservoir –

2,340 rainbow trout

This reservoir is located right off Highway 36 north of the Preston Golf Course. Electric motors only. Per Consolidated Irrigation Company access rules, all watercraft must be inspected by ISDA the day of your launch. Proof of inspection (ISDA written certification) should be displayed in dash of vehicle.

Glendale Reservoir –

3,660 rainbow trout

This 200-plus acre reservoir provides good facilities and opportunities for anglers to catch a variety of warm water species and trout. Access

is best using a small boat, but docks and limited shoreline access are available. Per Consolidated Irrigation Company access rules, all watercraft must be inspected by on-site irrigation company staff and users are subject to an inspection fee. No ballast compartment boats are allowed.

Hawkins Reservoir –

1,680 rainbow trout

Located near Downey, this reservoir provides good fishing opportunities for Yellowstone cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, and cutbows.

Johnson Reservoir –

2,500 rainbow trout

This 50-acre irrigation reservoir located near Preston is surrounded by large cottonwood trees. It offers a boat ramp, dock, and a variety of warm water game fish. Per Consolidated Irrigation Company access rules, all watercraft must be inspected by ISDA the day of your launch. Proof of inspection (ISDA written certification) should be displayed in dash of vehicle.

Lamont Reservoir –

2,800 rainbow trout

Located about 3 miles from Preston, this reservoir offers a nice boat ramp and good opportunity to catch trout, bass, and panfish. Per Consolidated Irrigation Company access rules, all watercraft must be inspected by ISDA the day of your launch. Proof of inspection (ISDA written certification) should be displayed in dash of vehicle.

McTucker Pond –

2,500 rainbow trout

Located near Springfield, McTucker Pond is a cluster of eight ponds surrounded by willows and large cottonwood trees. There are many places for kids to fish from the bank. No docks are present anymore.

War on Weeds—weeds are everybody’s problem

THE ISSUE: Western salsify Western salsify (Tragopogon dubius) is a perennial that typically dies after reproducing. It is native to Eurasia and northern Africa. It was introduced into the U.S. as a food source and as an ornamental. Western salsify can form dense stands, crowd out native vegetation, and decrease the productivity of the area.

To the untrained eye western salsify can appear to be a grass when it is young. As it matures it becomes evident that it is not a grass. Leaves and stems that are cut or broken will exude a white latex substance, that turns brown with time. Leaves are long and slender with a rubbery feel. Stems typically grow 12-40 inches tall. Each stem will produce a single yellow flower head that looks like a large dandelion head. Each flower head is composed of 20-120 small flowers. Flowers mature into dandelion-like seed heads. Each seed has an umbrella like structure that can catch the wind and allow the seed to be transported great distances. Western Salsify only reproduces by seed, ensuring that it doesn’t go to seed is the first step to long-term control.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Options:

• Prevention— Learn to identify this plant. Never transport unknown plant material. Make sure to clean equipment and clothing when leaving infested areas.

• Mechanical— Hand pulling or digging can be an effective form

of control if done prior to seed head maturation. Mowing can also be effective if done when flowers first appear, repeated mowing may be necessary.

• Cultural— Plant beneficial vegetation that can compete with western salsify. Use management practices that will benefit desirable vegetation.

• Chemical— Glyphosate can effectively control western salsify, but it is a non-selective herbicide, meaning it will also kill other desirable vegetation. A good option for western salsify found in grassy areas is 2,4-D + Dicamba. Always read and follow herbicide label directions!

Justin Hatch, University of Idaho Extension Agriculture Educator in Caribou County. 208-547-3205

JLHatch@uidaho.edu

Mads Anderson Christensen

April Fish stocking highlights SE Idaho region

Photo courtesy of Howard F. Schwartz, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org

Earthquakes

an continues to be slowly raised from below sea level to its present location near the mountain tops.

HIGHWAY THROUGH MEADOW

CREEK GRABEN

More fault scarps are located north of Henry. The highway winds through the easy path of Meadow Creek graben’s flat, swampy meadows, with the spectacular, broken rock of Pelican Fault along the east side of the highway. At the north end of the graben the highway crosses Chubb Springs Fault, and passes by Chubb Springs, a fault-related spring where the constant temperature of the water creates ideal conditions for the growth of water cress, a delicacy gathered by residents of the area. In the 40 degrees below zero temperature of mid-winter a few hard golden eye and mallard ducks may be seen on the open waters of Chubb Springs and other similar springs in the area.

A LAKE IN OLD AGE

Beyond Chubb Springs highway 34 turns east and soon crosses along the south side of Grays Lake National Wildlife Refuge where ducks, geese, sandhill cranes, and other waterfowl nest. Grays Lake is a lake in Old Age, the final stage in the life of every lake, a stage which results in its destruction by filling with peat, the black or brown residue of the plants of the swamp.

Grays Lake, like Lake Tahoe, Crag Lake, and many others, was formed in part by the movement of the land along faults around the periphery of the lake, forming a basin which in this case was closed off at the north end by basalt flows from volcanoes. The faults around Grays Lake are old and invisible to the untrained eye—but the earthquakes which accompany movements along these faults have shaken canned goods from the shelves of the store at Wayan, and are felt even more often by residents near the north end of the lake. Coast and Geodetic Survey Reports indicate that the earthquake epicenters are located on and around Caribou Mountain, and to the east in

SPORTS

Wyoming near the Cokeville Trench, a deep, long valley extending from Cokeville Wyoming north past Afton, and then curving westward toward Rexburg. The Cokeville Trench was formed in a manner similar to Bear river Valley, and continues to deeper as the land of the valley sinks from time to time and the nearby mountains rise, along faults located at each side of the valley, each small movement is accompanied by an earthquake.

EARTHQUAKES OCCUR IN MANY AR-

EAS OF SE IDAHO

Epicenters of other recent earthquakes have been located one and one half miles southwest of Bancroft at the base of the mountains, and in the vicinity of Swan Lake five miles east of Soda Springs. Earthquakes are the result of vertical or horizontal movements along faults or large cracks in the earth, some of which extend through the crust of the earth to the plastic mantle below, a depth of perhaps 30 miles. These faults occur in profusion in Caribou County, the obvious ones ranging from a few hundred yards apart to a few miles apart. Like faults everywhere, the faults of Caribou County are mostly “invisible,” being disguised as a change in the slope of the mountain, or being hidden by the passage of a stream or gully down the broken rocks of a fault. Tourists who stand on the carbon dioxide geyser a block northwest of the courthouse will observe a crack extending north and south through the mineral deposits of the geyser. This crack (fault) extends toward the office building to the south, and extends to the north where knolls and humps of travertine mark the path of the fault. When the geyser is turned on, mineral springs at the Torgesen Ranch, located at the base of the hills to the north, decrease in flow. Beyond the Torgesen Ranch, the fault travels north through the saddle just west of the “S” on the “S” hill and passes about two hundred yards west of Hooper Springs, another of the many fault-related springs of Caribou County.

OTHER FAULT-RELATED SPRINGS

Swan Lake, located one and a half

miles NE of Highway 30N five miles east of Soda Springs is the most spectacular of the fault-related springs of the county. Swan Lake and the several related lakes of the area, is located along the not-very-visible fault which is responsible for the abrupt rise of the mountains along the northeast side of Bear River Valley. Swan Lake proper is 200 feet across and is ringed by 20 feet high deposits of travertine. It is located along the crest of a spectacular travertine terrace 100 feet or more high, which is the summit of several square miles of travertine deposits which cover much of the valley floor from west of the golf course to a few miles southeast of Swan Lake, and the deposits of Formation Springs are on the same fault.

Six miles west of Soda Springs, east of the junction of Highway 34 and 30N is another of the spectacular fault scarps of the county. North of the Union Pacific tracks the scarp reaches its max height of around 100 feet. The fault is a series of parallel cracks in the earth, one large and several small, extending north and south along the dace of the mountains, which were formed by a series of small movements along this fault, accompanied by earthquakes. North of the highway toward Chesterfield are two large travertine terraces.

Many streams run out of the mountains into the broken rocks of the faults, disappearing, carrying silt and nearby soil with them to reappear as

the fault-related springs seen at lower elevations. In other areas the faults, concealed by soil, pose a hazard to wheat farmers, threatening to swallow tractors and combines. Still other faults extend radically from the many cinder cones of the valley, wallowing soil and runoff from the melting snows and rain.

The broken rocks of the fault scarps provide deep, secure homes for marmots, animals which eat the tender green wheat and barley of spring and summer.

MOUNTAIN BUILDING CONTINES IN COUNTY

The lands of Caribou County are active areas where mountain building is still underway, as it is over much of the west, with the earthquakes which result when the rocks of the earth occasionally move along faults. The youngest mountains on earth, the Grand Tetons, are located just 75 miles north of Caribou County. Hot Springs and travertine deposits attest to the disturbance of the water pathways by faults, and to the movement of water deep into the warmer depths of the earth along the broken rocks of the faults. Movement along the faults, in addition to building mountains, have formed large lakes, such as Grays Lake and Bear Lake, adding to the spectacular beauty of the area. Earthquakes, small and occasionally large, may be expected as mountain-building continues in the area.

Lady Cardinals Start Season With A Busy Week

BY JODY REEVES

The Soda Springs softball team started their season last week and played where they played five games in just five days. As per usual the Lady Cardinals start their season with a heavy slate of road games due to our wonderful Caribou County weather. Their first road trip was to West Jefferson to take on the Lady Panthers. The Cardinals got things rolling right off the get go with a triple by Davis that was followed up by several walks. By the time that the first inning ended the Cardinals held a six point lead. Soda Springs continued to dominate the game in the second. Some well timed steals and a three run home run by Goodin extended the lead to fourteen points. The Cardinals gave up their only run of the game in the bottom of the second but that was a mere blip on the radar. This game ended early with the Cardinals winning with ease.

The Lady Cardinals next faced the Westside Lady Pirates on Thursday. Once again some good base stealing from the Cardinals put them in scoring position in the top of the first inning. Soda Springs was only able to manage a single run, while giving up two runs in the bottom of the inning. The second inning was a stalemate as neither team was able to score but the Cardinals did have a pair of impressive pick offs on defense. In the top of the third the Cardinals once again positioned themselves to score and this time they would regain the lead off of a Hemmert steal at home plate. The Lady Pirates did not get a chance to answer as the Cardinals earned three quick outs to end the inning. Hemmert’s good game continued in the fourth inning when she stepped to the plate with the bases loaded.

Hemmert smacked a triple driving in three more runs for the Cardinals. Soda Springs once again held the Pirates scoreless in the inning and now had a comfortable six run lead. The Cardinals would earn one more run in the fifth and would give up one as well. The sixth inning got wild. Soda Springs opened things up with some great hitting combined with several walks and steals. When they were finally done hitting the Lady Cardinals held a commanding sixteen point lead. With the last at bat the Lady Pirates did their best to rally back. After giving up some walks and several runs the Cardinals held on to win the game by ten.

Following the two big opening wins the Lady Cards next traveled to Wendell to take part in a weekend tournament. They faced three teams in two days. They started off with a tough Wendell team. The Cardinals started off slow failing to earn any runs in the first while the Trojans came out red hot including a three run home run that put Wendell up by five. The second inning was worse than the first for Soda Springs. After once again failing to score, the Lady Cardinals gave up several walks and steals. The Trojans capped off the inning with a grand slam earning a very large lead over the scoreless Cardinals. In the top of the third the Cardinals finally got on the scoreboard earning four runs. That would be as close as they would get as Soda Springs would not score again losing in a blowout.

After the big loss the Lady Cardinals had to turn around and play North Fremont that afternoon. This time Soda Springs had last bats. The Huskies opened things up in a hurry getting their first run after just five pitches. North Fremont added two more runs before the Cardinals had

a chance to respond. Determined to not let this game get away from them the Lady Cardinals put up a pair of runs of their own and the first inning ended with the Huskies leading by just a single run. In the top of the second the Cardinals looked good early getting two outs in quick succession. Then the wheels fell off for a bit. North Fremont went on a six run stretch and did not allow a single run by the Cards. The Huskies now lead by seven. North Fremont extended the lead in the top of the third. Goodin tried to help bring Soda back into the game with a three shot triple but the Cardinals now trailed by eight. The Cardinals would get as close as four runs in the fourth but would eventually fall to the Huskies by six. With one game left in their week the Cardinals woke up refreshed on Saturday to face off against Bear Lake. This was possibly the most thrilling game of the week. Soda Springs would bat second in this game as well and at the end of the first inning led by two points. The second inning was a stalemate with neither team doing much. In the third the momentum shifted to the Lady Bears. The Bears put up six straight runs to take a four run lead. Davis would hit a solo home run in the bottom of the inning but the Cardinals still trailed by three. In the top of the fourth the Cardinals would hold the Bears scoreless. Then in the bottom of the inning Hemmert once again hit a triple with the bases loaded to tie the game. A few batters later and the inning ended with the Cardinals now leading by three. Over the next two innings the Cardinals would add a single run in each while holding the Bears to no additional runs. In the top of the seventh and final inning the Bears attempted a comeback but the Cardinals held them to just two runs

coach when the new school year begins next fall. Colby Fangman hails from Texas where football is a way of life. Fangman not only wants to turn around the fledgling football program but help all the Soda Springs athletes reach their full potential. Fangman brings with him his wife and two children who will attend Soda Springs High School as well. Look for a more in depth article about Fangman and his plans for the future of the Soda Springs sports programs as we near the upcoming

There are a number of fault lines running through Caribou County, extending into Bear Lake County, Montana and Wyoming.

A Mad March: Tournament Recap

BY ALLISON ELIASON

The 86th playing of the NCAA mens and womens basketball March Madness tournaments has come down to just a handful of games before the best team is finally crowned for the 2025 season. Beginning Tuesday, March17 for the men’s teams and Wednesday, March 19 for the women’s teams, the last two weeks+ of games have been nothing short of a basketball fan’s greatest season.

The single elimination tournament always proves to have exciting wins, devastating upsets, and magical storylines all wrapped up in three weekends of games. Having played through the first and second round, the Sweet 16 and the Elite 8 games, there are no perfect brackets left standing, signifying the true chaos of the NCAA’s most exciting tournament. Here’s a quick recap of the 64 games already played.

The tournament play began with the First Four, landing Alabama State(16), North Carolina(11), Mount St. Mary’s (16), and Xavier(11) officially in the men’s tournament and Iowa State(11), Southern U.(16), Columbia (11), and William & Mary(16) in the women’s.

The first round showed few upsets with most high seeds taking the win, although a few underdogs were able to claim the victory Thursday night. Creighton (9) won over Louisville (8) with a 6 point lead. McNeese (12) upset Clemson (5) with a single shot, winning 69-67. Kansas (7) fell to Arkansas (10) thanks to a number of hit free throws down the wire. Drake (11) came out over Missouri (6) despite being down at half time 30-23.

The second night of the opening round saw Baylor (9) grab a close win over Mississippi State (8). Colorado State (12) made a splash as they put down Memphis (5), winning with what their coach called a “suffocating defense.” New Mexico (10) took con-

trol late in the second half to beat out Marquette (7) to advance to the second round of the tournament.

Round two, beginning Saturday, March 22, saw another win for Arkansas (10) over St. John’s (2), outplaying them on both ends of the court. Michigan (5) had a commanding win over Texas A&M (4), winning 91-79. BYU (6) snuck a win past Wisconsin (3), breathing a sigh of relief that the clock expired before the Badgers come-back could take the lead. Day two of the second round played out with top seed winners in every game except the 6v3 as Ole Miss defeated Iowa State.

The Sweet 16 round didn’t see any surprises as Alabama, Florida, Duke, and Texas Tech all claimed the win on Thursday, March 27. The following day saw similar results with all the top seeded teams advancing on as Michigan State, Tennessee, Auburn, and Houston pounded out the victory.

Saturday played the first games of the Elite 8, seeing a pair of number 1 seeds — Florida and Duke — punch their tickets to the Final Four in San Antonio. With less than four minutes to go, the Gators were down by nine points, but managed a 18-4 to clutch the last minute victory. Duke’s win over Alabama marked the largest win (20 points) in an Elite 8 game since 1999.

The other number 1 seeds --Houston and Auburn-- claimed their spots in the Final Four Sunday night to join Florida and Duke. Houston nearly claimed the win over Tennessee in the opening half as they kept the Vols from shooting inside the key and capitalized on their poor deep shooting. Auburn put up 17 unanswered points in the second half to help earn the win and second ever bid to the Final Four.

Looking ahead, the first scheduled game to be played in the Alamodome is between Auburn and Florida. In their previous matchup during the

regular season, it was the Gators that came out on top, but anything can happen with March Madness. Duke is set to take on Houston next, pitting the number one offense against the number one defense. The predictions favor Duke but if the Cougar defense plays in their usual fashion, they might just hold back the Blue Devils.

In the women’s March Madness bracket, Iowa State(11), UC San Diego(16), Columbia(11), William & Mary (16) won in the First Four to officially claim their berth to the NCAA tournament.

Round 1 highlighted few upsets or surprises for the basketball fans. Indiana(9) pulled a win over Utah(8), working early in the game to keep momentum on their side. Oregon(10) snagged an overtime win over Vanderbilt(7), putting up 10-6 in the bonus quarter.

A similar 10v7 upset happened Saturday, March 22 as South Dakota State won over Oklahoma state. Their secret- out rebounding their opponent 47-29. Mississippi State(9) ousted California(8) from the tournament with what they considered their best defensive game of the season.

Round 2 began Sunday, March 23 in a largely predictable fashion until the 4v5 games were played. In every instance, the number 5 seed took the game. Kansas State ended the season for Kentucky in another overtime win. Ole Miss bested Baylor, putting up 20+ points in three quarters while the Bears couldn’t break the 19 point cap. Tennessee claimed the win over Ohio State to snag their 37th Sweet 16 appearance. Monday went according to the chalk, all high seeds punching

their ticket to the next round of the tournament.

March 28 opened the Sweet 16 round of March Madness, featuring wins by Duke 47, South Carolina 71,LSU,and UCLA. Sunday saw wins by TCU, Texas, UConn, and Southern California.

Day 1 of the Elite 8 highlighted a true competition between Duke and South Carolina. The close game went back and forth between the two teams until a big miss for Duke and a defining rebound by South Carolina to give the Gamecocks the win, 54-50. UCLA pulled out the win over LSU, redeeming their Sweet 16 loss from 2024. UConn brought about another win Monday night over Southern California to return them to the Final Four. The Texas Longhorns and their smothering defense gave TCU fits all game long as they played for a shot at the Final Four. Texas forced an impressive 21 turnovers to dominate the game. The women’s Final Four is set to be played in Tampa, Florida at the Amalie Arena on April 4. South Carolina and Texas will first clash, a competition that will be won by the team that can pull together the strongest offense. UCLA and UConn will follow with the late night game, a contest that will surely be worth staying up for. The Huskies bring a strong outside shooting game but UCLA is predicted to win the game inside the key and at the rim.

Fans, players, and so called experts may have things all figured out as March Madness closes out with the final games of the tournament, but only time will tell who has the skill and decorum of a champion.

Cardinal Baseball Showing Some Early Rust A Look At The Links

BY JODY REEVES

The Cardinals hit the diamond for three games last week. There were some brief moments of promise but for the most part the Cardinals struggled to get things going both at bat and in the field. This is not too surprising since the vast majority of the teams they are facing in the early season have been able to get outside and experience some real game-like situations. Meanwhile the Cardinals have spent most of their time practicing in the high school gym. I suspect the Cardinals’ play will pick up as the season goes on and they are able to get outside and on the field.

Soda Springs began last week traveling to Firth for a double header. It took the Cardinals some time to get off of the bus in this match-up. The Cardinals had the first at bat and only managed to get one on base before having to hit the outfield. Defensively Soda Springs did well in the first inning forcing Firth to go three up three down. In the second inning the Cards were able to get a couple of runners on base but could not manage to get any of them across home plate. In the bottom of the inning the Cougars were able to put up the first runs of the game and took a two to zip lead heading into the third. In the third the Cardinals were unable to get a hit while Firth got several players on base. Through some errors by Soda Springs and some good base stealing the Cougars extended their lead to seven. In the top of the fourth inning the Cardinals were able to load the bases but got just one run off of a walk before suffering their third out. In the bottom of the inning the Cardinals continued to make errors and gave up six more runs. One last gasp in the fifth saw the Cards only get one more base runner and he failed to score. Soda Springs dropped the first game of the double header by a large margin. In the second game of the double header the Cardinals got off to a little better start and were able to get one

run in. However their field play continued to lack and by the end of the inning Soda Springs trailed by two. Over the next two innings Firth added one run per inning and extended the lead to four. In the fourth inning Soda Springs did get the lead cut to one after scoring three runs but the bad luck continued in the field as Firth moved the lead up to five. After no scoring in the fifth inning the Cards attempted a rally with three runs of their own. The Cardinals also finished the Cougars inning with a nice double play giving Soda Springs some life going into the final inning. Unfortunately Soda Springs failed to earn a run in the top of the seventh and game two of the double header ended with the Cardinals on the losing end.

Soda Springs wrapped up their week of play by traveling to Wendell to take on the Trojans. The struggling Cardinals continued to have issues getting on base and playing clean in the outfield. Through the first four innings the Cardinals failed to score a single run while giving up seven runs to the Trojans. The Cardinals first run came in the fifth inning where their fielding also looked like it had improved. However in the end the Cardinals were unable to do enough to significantly cut into the lead and lost this game by five runs.

Throughout the week the Cardinals got on base more due to their opponents mistakes than good hitting. In the field the Cards also gave up more runs and bases in steals and errors than they did off of good hitting. It may have been a less than stellar week but keep the faith as the Cardinals get more time under their belts they will catch up to the other teams and make improvements.

BY JODY REEVES

The Soda Springs and Grace golf teams hit the road and the course last Wednesday when they traveled to Aberdeen. It was an idyllic day for golf on the course as the sun was shining and the temperature skyrocketed to give us our warmest day of the year thus far. The sun wasn’t the only thing shining that day as several of our local golfers started their seasons with some excellent performances.

In the girls competition of the four schools in attendance the Lady Cardinals were the only one to put together a full team. The five varsity girls put up a team score of 389. Just because they were the only full team does not mean they didn’t also have some terrific individual performances as well. Jaden Parker and Tara Vedder led the way for the Cardinals with Parker shooting an 85 and Vedder shooting an 89 putting them as the second and third individual placers on the day. The top individual spot went to a Lady Grizzly. The Lady Grizzlies are low on numbers this season and only had four girls at the meet with two girls competing in each of the varsity and junior varsity competitions. Grace’s two varsity golfers were Karlie Christensen and Shaston Lloyd. It was Christensen that took the top spot individually with a score of 83 while Lloyd would come in fourth with a 97. The girl golfers in the county look strong right out of the gate as they claimed the six best scores at the meet. Look for the Grizzlies and Cardinals to battle it out all season long as they look to be

the best female golfers in the district at the moment. Remember that golf is one of the sports that 1A through 3A all compete together so these girls will be battling for district and state titles later on in the season.

On the boys side of things Soda Springs showed some good team consistency. The Cardinal’s top five were only separated by nine strokes. Kayden Peterson led the way for the Cardinals with a score of 90 followed closely by Brycen Peterson and Preston Ozburn who shot 92 and 93 respectively. The Cardinals as a team came in in third place with a team score of 372. Like their girls team the Grizzly men are down in numbers this year with just four boy golfers on the roster. Unlike the Lady Grizzlies all four boys did golf in the varsity competition and represented very well for Grace. All four boys for Grace placed in the top seven golfers with Jamie Smith placing first overall shooting a 74. Tate Williams placed third overall with his score of 81. As a whole the four Grizzly men that also included Derek Hill and Keathan Edwards took the top spot as a team with a score of 330. With several good boy golfers in the district both the Grizzlies and the Cardinals will have to stay sharp if they want to see success in the post season.

In conclusion the county is loaded with some great golf talent this year that should make for some great drama on the links. If you get a chance, get out and support all of our local golfers this season.

Record Performances At Raft River Spring Break Meet

BY JODY REEVES

Last Wednesday the Cardinal and Grizzly track teams traveled to Malta to take part in the Raft River Spring Break meet at Raft River High School. The athletes were treated to a beautiful day of weather which helped assist in several personal records being set as well as a few school records.

The first event of the day was the sprint medley relay. Each of the boys and girls races had just two schools going head to head in the event. Those two schools just happened to be Grace and Soda Springs. Both races were very competitive and entertaining to watch. Strong anchor legs made the difference in the end for each race. In the girls race Ellie Wood anchored the Cardinals to the win while Carter Mecham anchored the Grizzlies to the victory in the boys race. After the sprint medley finished the field events got underway.

With week one of the season landing during spring break for Soda Springs the Cardinals were thrilled to have a larger contingent of athletes at Raft River. The throwers for the Cardinals had a big day. Soleil Somsen and Andi Carpenter each earned new pr’s in the shot put and discus with Carpenter also getting a pr in the javelin. The Cardinal men also threw well with freshman Carson Cook earning new pr’s in all three throwing events and setting a new school record in the javelin. Not to be outdone Cole Garbett heaved some big throws in the shot put and discus as well. Garbett’s discus throws had officials wondering if they should have parked the buses farther away. On one of his throws the discus bounced and landed within inches of one of the team buses. In the end Garbett has moved into second place in the school record books while easily placing first on the day. In the running events several Cardinals got off to good starts on the season with many earning season best times. Landon Moldenhauer earned a pr in the 1600 meter race placing second at the meet. Senior Degan Stoor in his first meet of the year did not hit his pr’s in the hurdle races but did enough to take home wins in both races. Several other Cardinals put up good season starting times that they will look to improve on as they move on through the season.

The Grizzlies also saw some great performances at this meet from both the boys and girls teams. In fact Grace did well enough for the girls team to earn second place as a team while the boys were the top team at the meet in first place. The list of pr’s for the Grizzlies is very long so I will just touch on some of the great performances. Junior Bryant Moss had a monster day as he set new pr’s in three events. Moss earned best times in both the 100 and 200 meter races as well as getting a big pr in the shot put. Case Williams also set big new pr’s in the shot put and discus while Carson Reeves was able to move into the top five in school history in the discus with a pr. Jack Eddins was another Grizzly to move up in the school record books sliding into fifth all time in the pole vault. Gavin Draper also hit new pr’s in three separate events the 400 meter race, the javelin, and long jump. Even with all of the pr’s and high placings the Grace boys were outdone by the girls team. Jeanaelie Shaffer racked up pr’s in the 100 meter race, and the long jump while running some great legs for some of the relay teams. The Coleman sisters Cally and Lily earned pr’s in the 800 meter race together with Lily earning one in the 1600 meters and Cally getting one in the 3200 meters which she placed first in. In addition to all of these great performances the girls team also broke two school records on the day. In the newest event the javelin Tessica Jorgensen threw herself to a new school record by over fifteen feet. Also earning a new school record in the 800 meter race by beating her own first place time from a year ago was sophomore sensation Brooklyn Porter. Porter also currently holds the school record in the 1600 meters. The Grizzlies are off to a good start this season and look to be real contenders for district and state trophies. Grace will next be in action Friday once again at Preston High school.

Grace Boys Results

100M- Carson Welch 12.32, Bryant Moss 12.33, Ty Stoddard 13.46

200M- Carter Mecham 25.00, Bryant Moss 25.71

400M- Gavin Draper 58.19

800M- Adrian Mejia 2:11.00

1600M- Adrian Mejia 5:17.00

110M Hurdles-Jonah Wilkerson

Cardinals Attend UVU High School Invitational

BY JODY REEVES

Some of the Cardinal track athletes doubled up on meets this week. Following some great performances at Raft River several of the athletes traveled to Orem Utah to compete at a large meet at the campus of UVU. Several of the Cardinal men set either new pr’s or season bests at the meet. Senior Degan Stoor earned season best times while placing first in his main events the hurdle races as he continues to inch closer to a new pr. Cole Garbett improved in both the discus and shot put earning new pr’s in each event. Distance runners Landon Moldenhauer, Kage Kirby, and Austin Housley were fortunate enough to try their hand at the steeplechase, a race that is not common in Idaho high school track. The boys team had a very productive day and as a team placed fourth out of thirteen teams, many of which came from much larger schools in Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming.

The girls team may not have seen as many new pr’s but they still performed well. Like the boys team the girls were able to finish in fourth place as a team going against sixteen other schools. Lizzie Beutler and Ellie Wood performed well in the distance races, each placing in the top five in their respective events. One of the best performances of the day came from the 4X400 relay team who grabbed the top spot and earned some important team points.

As a whole it was another very suc-

17.02, Landon Moss 17.60

4X100 Relay- Landon Moss, Carson Welch, Bryant Moss, Carter Mecham 46.50

4X400 Relay- Landon Moss, Ty Stoddard, Gavin Draper, Jack Eddins 3:58.19

Medley Relay- Landon Moss, Carson Welch, Jonah Wilkerson, Carter Mecham 3:50.94

Shot Put- Carson Reeves 38’7.5, Bryant Moss 37’8, Case Williams 33’9.5

Discuss- Carson Reeves 117’3, Case Williams 107’2, Jonah Wilkerson 77’8

Javelin- Jack Eddins 102’0, Gavin Draper 101’2, Ty Stoddard 99’5

High Jump- Jack Eddins 5’4

Pole Vault- Jack Eddins 10’

Long Jump- Jonah Wilkerson 19’3.25, Gavin Draper 17’5.5

Triple Jump- Carter Mecham 35’1.5

Grace Girls Results

100M- Jeanaelie Shaffer 14.49, Kallie Stoddard 14.55

200M- Bailey Stoddard 31.80

400M- Tessica Jorgensen 1:11.35

800M- Brooklyn Porter 2:27, Cally Coleman 2:36, Lily Coleman 2:45, Lilly Gilbert 2:52, Bailey Stoddard 2:56

1600M- Brooklyn Porter 5:45, Lily Coleman 6:05

3200M- Cally Coleman 12:55, Lilly Gilbert 13:07, Breanna Heer 15:16

100M Hurdles- Bella Eddins 17.99

300M Hurdles- Kallie Stoddard 51.38, Alayna Smith 1:01.47

4X100 Relay- Tessica Jorgensen, Jeanaelie Shaffer, Alayna Smith, Bailey Stoddard 57.51

4X400 Relay- Lilly Gilbert, Breanna Heer, Tessica Jorgensen, Bailey Stoddard 5:04.74

Medley Relay- Jeanaelie Shaffer, Bella Eddins, Kallie Stoddard, Cally Coleman 2:01.30

Javelin- Tessica Jorgensen 84’9, Skyla Cloud 51’1, Alayna Smith 46’4

High Jump- Skyla Cloud 4’6, Kallie Stoddard 4’4

Pole Vault- Skyla Cloud 6’6

Long Jump- Jeanaelie Shaffer 13’6.5

Triple Jump- Bella Eddins 31’0.25

Soda Springs Boys Results

100M- Cole Garbett 12.76, Dawson McAllister 13.30, Blake Maughn 13.35, Jace Garbett 13.58, Nolan Lott 13.75

200M- Landon Martinsen 24.63, Dawson McAllister 26.92, Carson Cook 28.71

400M- Jaxson Horsley 58.49, Bridg-

er Dilworth 1:23.22

800M- Kage Kirby 2:20, Austin Housley 2:36, Bridger Dilworth 3:05

1600M- Landon Moldenhauer 5:04, Austin Housley 6:00, Kage Kirby 6:00, Noah Hansen 7:51

110M Hurdles-Degan Stoor 16.16, Zayden Garbett 17.98

300M Hurdles-Degan Stoor 42.08, Zayden Garbett 45.91, Blake Maughan 48.97

4X100- Blake Maughan, Jace Garbett, Nolan Lott, Dawson McAllister 50.59

4X400- Blake Maughan, Conner Lee, Jace Garbett, Jaxson Horsley 4:15.37

Medley Relay- Degan Stoor, Zayden Garbett, Kage Kirby, Landon Moldenhauer 3:59.94

Shot Put- Cole Garbett 45’8, Carson Cook 33’, Discus- Cole Garbett 158’, Carson Cook 94’, Zander Housley 54’8.5, Noah Hansen 39’4.5, Carson Golightly 35’5

Javelin- Carson Cook 111’8, Noah Hansen 54’8, Carson Golightly 13’ Long Jump- Nolan Lott 15’5.5 Triple Jump- Jaxson Horsley 36’11, Jace Garbett 31’2

Soda Springs Girls Results

100M- Rosie Harris 14.40, Miriam Evans 14.89, Taylie Brewer 15.26, Alexa Dory 15.93, Rachel Hansen 16.56, Andi Carpenter 16.59, Brecklyn Golightly 18.15

200M- Taylie Brewer 30.96, Soleil Somsen 32.23, Miriam Evans 32.93, Brecklyn Golightly 39.04

800M- Ellie Wood 2:34, Lizzie Beutler 2:42, Rebekah Evans 2:43, India Galloway 2:54

1600M- Lizzie Beutler 5:58, India Galloway 6:30

100M Hurdles- Layla Torman 18.40

300M Hurdles- Layla Torman 52.49

4X400- Kylee Fullmer, Miriam Evans, Alexa Dory, Taylie Brewer 4:48.61

Medley Relay- Rosie Harris, Layla Torman, Rebekah Evans, Ellie Wood 1:59.15

Shot Put- Soleil Somsen 29’1.5, Andi Carpenter 26’1

Discus- Soleil Somsen 93’11.5, Andi Carpenter 78’3, Rachel Hansen 54’2.5

Javelin- Soleil Somsen 53’6, Rachel Hansen 44’, Andi Carpenter 43’7 High Jump- Rosie Harris 5’ Pole Vault- Rosie Harris 8’ Long Jump- Madilyn Kempe 13’6.5, Alexa Dory 12’8.5, Emerey Lakey 12’6.75 Triple Jump- Emerey Lakey 26’8

cessful day for the men and women of the Cardinals track and field teams.

Soda Springs Boys Results

100M- Blake Maughan 13.13, Dawson McAllister 13.14

200M- Landon Martinsen 24.41, Dawson McAllister 25.88, Jaxson Horsley 26.77

400M- Jaxson Horsley 58.94

3200M-Landon Moldenhauer 10:58.44

110M Hurdles-Degan Stoor 15.87, Zayden Garbett 21.43

300M Hurdles- Degan Stoor 41.55, Blake Maughan 46.74

2K Steeplechase- Landon Moldenhauer 7:48, Kage Kirby 8:05.51, Austin Housley 8:30.64

4X400 Relay- (no name available)

3:47.30

Shot Put- Cole Garbett 47’5.75

Discus- Cole Garbett 159’3

Long Jump- Landon Martinsen 18’1

Soda Springs Girls Results

100M- Taylie Brewer 15.45

200M- Rosie Harris 28.87, Taylie Brewer 30.71

400M- Taylie Brewer 1:12.50

800M- Ellie Wood 2:41.16, Rebekah Evans 2:45.27

1600M- Lizzie Beutler 5:51.21, Ellie Wood 5:53.90

3200M- Lizzie Beutler 12:53.82

100M Hurdles- Layla Torman 19.09

300M Hurdles- Layla Torman 53.83

4X400- (no names available) 4:27.79

Shot Put- Soleil Somsen 28’2, Andi Carpenter 24’7

Discus- Soleil Somsen 93’3, Andi Carpenter 68’9

High Jump- Rosie Harris 4’10

Pole Vault- Rosie Harris 7’6

The Lady Cardinals and Lady Grizzlies went head to head as the only two teams to participate in the Sprint Medley Relay.

Soda Springs Cole Garbett continues to inch ever closer to setting new school records in the shot put and discus.

Brooklyn Porter broke her own school record by running the fastest 800m race by any girl in Grace High history.