Stories from Wednesday, November 23, 2005

Jon B. Valen, 35, was sentenced to 40 years in prison last week by Fourth District Judge Mike McLaughlin for the March 4 murder of his wife, Jodi Lynn Valen. After hearing members of Jodi Lynn's family testify to the trauma they had undergone, and telling Valen that they hoped he "burned in hell" for the murder, at the conclusion of the sentencing hearing Valen turned and facing them, offered his apologies to the family, saying, "I did love my wife. I hope time will ease your grief."...

The Mountain Home Lady Tigers showed improvement in losses last week to Mountain View and Capital. Mountain View 41 Mountain Home 26 The Mountain Home Lady Tigers started strong last Tuesday night when they took the floor at Lloyd Schiller Gymnasium in Mountain Home against Mountain View, but a near seven-minute scoring lull in the first half did them in, as they lost to the Lady Mavericks, 41-26...

Margaret L. Beard, 80, of Mountain Home, died Saturday Nov. 19, 2005, at a Boise hospital. At her request no services will be held. The Cremation Society of Idaho is in charge of arrangements. Margaret was born Sept. 18, 1925, in Tacamo, Wash., to Carl and Helen (Nefter) Jensen...

Nola Ruth Deckard, 101, of Mountain Home, died of natural causes at Valley View Nursing Center in Boise on Monday, Nov. 21, 2005. She wag a longtime resident of Mountain Home. A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 3, at Rost Funeral Home, McMurtrey Chapel, in Mountain Home. Arrangement are under the direction of Rost Funeral Home...