Stories from Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Due to snow and icy conditions on area roads, the Mountain Home School District has delayed its opening today, Wednesday, Jan. 9. Teachers will not be required to report to work until 10 a.m. and students will not be required to report to school until 10:30 a.m...

Arrests Amber Nicole Gipson, 23 -- destroy telephone line. Dereck Michael Kelser, 26 -- DWP. Royce Tepton Milaskey, 59 -- FTA/FTP. Darren Leith Moore, 26 -- violation of a no contact order. Manuel Flores Toledo, 46 -- DWP; FTA/FTP. Jeremiah Lynn Whiffen, 24 -- FTA/FTP...

Magistrate Court Chance Shawn McKeel, 40, had charges of burglary, (5/10/07 case), and petit theft, (5/23/07 case) dismissed by the prosecutor. McKeel was found guilty for petit theft, (6/3/07 case). McKeel was sentenced to 365 days in jail (332 days suspended, concurrent with count II) and fined $1,000 ($900 suspended) plus $167.50 in court costs and $100 in restitution...

Over the next week, we'll see a change in administration of city hall, from Joe B. McNeal to Mayor Tom Rist. We welcome Rist to the job, and wish him the best of luck as he and the new city council begin to tackle a series of very difficult challenges facing the city, from economic diversity to infrastructure improvement...

Dear Governor Otter: Please lead your party through the valley of the shadow of partisan politics to achieve this pro-Idaho agenda. 1 . Repeal the 6 percent sales tax on food, at the grocery store, for everyone. Pay for it by eliminating sales tax exemptions...

Dear editor: I said I was done and I meant it, but leave it to the Left. FOX News, who was at one time, the only unbiased appearing major news network, has now caved in to the liberals as well, by omitting both Ron Paul and Duncan Hunter from the New Hampshire debates, in a direct violation of the 1st Amendment, which is being tactfully dismantled over these past few years anyway...

Dear editor: The Mountain Home High School Talkin' Tigers Speech and Debate team will host the Inaugural U-Bus-2-Us Speech and Debate Tournament Friday, Feb. 8, and Saturday, Feb. 9, at Mountain Home Junior and Senior High Schools. More than 14 High Schools from as far away as Weiser and Pocatello have expressed interest in the Tournament that should attract some 200 high school students...

Charles R. Mason, 93, of Prairie, died Saturday, Dec. 29, 2007, in Prairie. Internment was held in Needles Cemetery in Needles, Calif., on Friday, Jan. 4, 2008. Charles was born on Feb. 17, 1914, in Bell Plaine, Kan., to Charles Merritt Mason and Nellie Mae Clokey...

Charles Alexander (Chuck) Finlayson, 72, died at Elmore Medical Center following an extended illness on Sunday, Dec. 30, 2007, surrounded by his family. Funeral services were held at Grace Lutheran Church on Friday, Jan. 4,. Interment was at Mountain View Cemetery. Arrangements were under the direction of Rost Funeral Home, McMurtrey Chapel in Mountain Home...

David Clifton Collins, 52, of Boise, formerly of Mountain Home, died Jan. 5, 2008, at his home. A viewing will be held from noon until the 2 p.m. funeral service on Thursday, Jan. 10, at Rost Funeral Home, McMurtrey Chapel, 500 N. 18th East St. in Mountain Home. Repass will follow at the Odd Fellow Hall, 155 N. 3rd East St. from 2:30-5 p.m...

Burt and Mona Curtis have celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. They were married on Dec. 29, 1957, in Reno, Nev. They have been residents of Mountain Home since 1971 when Burt was stationed here at the Air Force Base. Burt retired in 1985 from active duty Air Force. They have 3 children, 8 grandchildren, and 1 great-grandchild. "They have both been an inspiration and great support to their family and friends," their children noted...

The Mountain Home Lady Tigers bounced back from a sub-par performance at Middleton with an impressive win over Nampa in girls conference basketball games last week. Middleton 42 Lady Tigers 27 Middleton came out in a zone press right from the start, and the Lady Tigers struggled getting the ball down the court and fell to the Lady Vikings 42-27 last Thursday night at Middleton...

It was a long week for Mountain Home's varsity basketball team as the Tigers fell to Jerome and Skyview Jerome 57 Mtn. Home 44 The first battle of the Tigers went in favor of Jerome last Friday night, as the host Tigers downed Mountain Home 57-44. Mountain Home fell behind, 6-0, early, but went on a 12-0 run to go up, 12-6. It was 12-9 Mountain Home after a quarter...

Registrations are opening now for the 2008 Mountain Man Wrestling Club program. Registration will be held at the Mountain Home High School gymnasium foyer on Monday, Jan. 16, at 7 p.m. For those who can't register then a make-up registration date will be held at same time on Jan. 23...

The 2008 Mountain Home Babe Ruth/Cal Ripken Baseball League is starting soon. Sign ups will be held at Moxie Java from 6-8 p.m. on Jan. 9, 11, 15, 16, 18, 21, 23, 25, 29 and 31. Those interested may also sign up Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. ...

The Mountain Home Tigers wrestling squad dropped a 46-21 conference dual match at Columbia High School in Nampa last Thursday night. Nico Pingue picked up Mountain Home's only pin of the night at 140 pounds. Calvin Vivier (145) won a major decision, and Chris Knudson (171) and Kaeo Doronio (130) picked up wins by decisions...

Like their varsity counterparts, the Mountain Home Tiger junior varsity boys basketball team fell to both Jerome and Skyview last week. Jerome JV 48 Mtn. Home JV 43 The Mountain Home squad went over nine and a half minutes without scoring in the second half at Jerome Friday night, and a fourth-quarter rally ended up a bit short, as they lost 48-43 in non-conference boys basketball...

The Mountain Home Tiger sophomores defeated Jerome and Skyview in two tough matchups last week. Jerome 21 Tigers 52 The sophomore boys outscored Jerome 43-10 over the final three quarters to roll to a 53-21 win at Jerome last Friday night in boys basketball...

The Mountain Home Lady Tiger junior varsity basketball squad had a rough start to the new year last week, losing to Middleton and Nampa. Middleton 63 Mtn. Home 38 Middleton's press got to Mountain Home in the second quarter, as the Lady Vikings exploded for 21 points to shoot out to a 36-21 lead at the half...

The Mountain Home Lady Tiger sophomores saw their undefeated season go by the wayside at Middleton last Thursday night, but bounced back to beat Nampa on Saturday. Middleton 52 Mtn. Home 28 In a battle of unbeaten teams, the Mountain Home Lady Tiger sophomores suffered their first loss of the season Thursday night at Middleton, losing to the Lady Viking sophomores, 52-28...

The Mountain Home Tigers junior varsity wrestling squad won the Garden Valley JV Duals Tournament at Garden Valley Saturday. The Tigers went undefeated, opening with a 46-36 win over the Ontario JV. They beat New Plymouth 43-16, Middleton's JV 46-12, and beat Garden Valley 65-12...

The Mountain Home City Recreation Department is offering a basketball program is for boys in first through fourth grades. The program will be held at Hacker Middle School and begins Saturday, Jan. 12. Cost is $19.50 and includes a basketball. The deadline to register is Friday, Jan. 11...

As I write this, voters are going to the polls in New Hampshire and the dust still hasn't settled from the Iowa caucuses.