Stories from Wednesday, March 16, 2005

John Valen, 34, of Mountain Home, was arraigned on second-degree murder and first-degree arson charges after being released from the hospital last Friday, where he had been treated for smoke inhalation. In a brief appearance before Magistrate Judge John Sellman Valen was assigned a public defender and ordered held on $2 million bail. ...

The Elmore County Commissioners will try one more time to convince the voters that the county needs a new jail. A $7.3 million bond issue will go before the voters on May 24, utilizing essentially the same plan as the one that failed last fall when it fell 6 percentage points short of the required two-thirds majority (67 percent) needed for approval...

Valerie and Tony Haberland will celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary March 25. The couple was married in Elko, Nev. on March 25, 1980. They plan to celebrate their anniversary in April in Puerta Vallerta, Mexico.

Jodie L. Valen, 37, of Mountain Home, died at her home on Saturday, March 5. Private family services will be held. Cremation is under the direction of Summers Funeral Homes, Boise Chapel.

Marie Evelyn Blacken, 88, of Mountain Home, died Thursday March 10, 2005, at a local care center. Memorial services will be held in Snohomish, Wash., at a later date. Cremation is under the direction of Rost Funeral Home. Marie was born on Sept. 11, 1916, in Christina, Mont., to Paul and Ramona (Davis) Donisthorpe. She was the second of five children...

The Mountain Home Tigers open their tennis season tomorrow (Thursday) with a home conference match against Kuna. Phil McCluskey is in his second year as head coach of the Tigers, and indicated this year's turnout was "very good. In fact, we had to break up into two separate practices, as we had too many to handle for just one practice, so it's been nice. We actually have about 52 to 53 kids out, so I'm encouraged with the turnout."...

The Mountain Home Tigers finished sixth in the girls and seventh in the boys competition of their first SIC 4A golf tournament of the season at River Birch Golf Course near Emmett on March 7. Bishop Kelly won the girls competition, shooting a 175. Vallivue was second, at 184. Next came Caldwell with a 196, followed by Nampa at 204, Skyview at 207, Kuna, 229, and Mountain Home at 247. Emmett did not field a girls team...

The Mountain Home Tiger track squad travels to Kuna tomorrow (Thursday) for its first track meet of the season. Mountain Home Tiger head track coach Rich Urquidi indicated they had a good turnout for track this season. "We've had between 60 and 65 kids out and we've been pleased with how everybody's been working hard for the past two weeks, and everybody's been there working hard, so we're excited to get going this Thursday."...

After dropping their season opening softball game to Eagle at home last Thursday, the Mountain Home Lady Tigers traveled to Centennial the next night, and came home with a win. Eagle 10 Mountain Home 0 The Lady Tigers managed just three hits off Eagle's Rebekah Tsatsa Thursday in their opening softball game of the season at Eastside Park in Mountain Home...

The Mountain Home Tigers opened their 2005 baseball season with 7-0 losses to Eagle and Centennial last week. Eagle Mustangs 7 Mountain Home 0 The Mountain Home Tigers and Eagle Mustangs battled close for six innings before the Mustangs erupted for six runs in the seventh to down the Tigers 7-0 last Thursday in the Tigers opener at Mountain Home...

Andy and Gayla Jantz, Bruneau, announce the birth of a son. Carter Jed Jantz, was born March 1, 2005, at Elmore Medical Center Hospital, weighing 7 lbs. 12 oz. Carter joins big sister, Ambrea, and brothers, Luke, Micah and Thomas.