Stories from Wednesday, February 27, 2008

A 21-year-old Airman traveling to his new assignment at Mountain Home Air Force Base was killed Feb. 19 when his vehicle rolled over on Oregon Highway 95, approximately 122 miles west of Mountain Home. Senior Airman Eugene Ardissono, who had just completed a two-year assignment as an F-15 aircraft maintainer with the 48th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, United Kingdom, was en route to Mountain Home AFB following two weeks of leave with family in his hometown of Fremont, Calif.. ...

Juan M. Serratos-Arellano, 37, was found guilty for an amended charge of driving under the influence, (12/11/99 case). Arellano was sentenced to 60 days in jail (55 days suspended), placed on one year probation, placed into a treatment program, had his drivers license suspended for 180 days and fined $400 ($400 suspended) plus $199 in court costs. Arellano had a charge of failure to purchase and holding an invalid drivers license (12/11/99 case) dismissed by the prosecutor...

Isidro Saucedo Martinez, 31--failure to purchase drivers license. Jason Gordon Patridge, 29--FTA/FTP. Timothy Dwight Howell, 47--DUI. Apolinar Palomares Negrete, 40--DUI; obstruct or resist officer. James Pettet, 23--intentional destruction or removing telephone; domestic battery with child present; malicious injury to property...

A congressional commission has called for military retirees to have to wait until at least age 57 or later before they become eligible for non-disability retirement pay. Those who have served for 20 years would not be able to receive their retirement benefits until age 60, and those with 30 years would have to wait until age 57...

Dick C. Nelson, 63, of Mountain Home, died Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2008, at his daughter's home, following an illness. Funeral services were held on Saturday, Feb. 23, at the Grand View Mennonite Church. Burial followed at the Grand View Mennonite Cemetery.Arrangements were under the direction of Rost Funeral Home, McMurtrey Chapel...

Patricia Elise "Patsy" Luciani, 71, a 41-year resident of Bowie, Md., formerly of Mountain Home, died Feb. 4, 2008, at Anne Arundel Medical Center, surrounded by her family. Funeral services were held Feb. 8 at Beall Funeral Home in Bowie, Md., with interment at Lakemont Memorial Gardens in Davidsonville, Md...

Robert (Bob) Edward Wilson, 59, of the Plano-Egin Bench area near St. Anthony, Idaho, formerly of Bruneau, died suddenly at his home, Feb. 16, 2008. A service including full military rites was held Sunday, Feb. 24 in the Bruneau, Idaho American Legion Hall...

Robert "Bob" L. Haahr, 41, formerly of Mountain Home, died in Florence, Ariz., on Thursday, Feb. 21, 2008. Funeral Services are pending in Arizona.

Harold "Hank" David McClellan, 65, of Mountain Home, died Monday, Feb. 25, 2008, at his home, following an illness. Per his request, no services are planned. Arrangements are under the direction of Rost Funeral Home, McMurtrey Chapel.

After beating Kuna in the opening round of the District III 4A Basketball Tournament, the Mountain Home Tigers were just a win away from a state 4A tourney berth, needing to beat an Emmett team they had come close to beating twice during the regular season...

The Mountain Home Tigers boys sophomore basketball team came up short against Middleton last Monday night (Feb. 18), 41-39, in the semi-finals of the District III 4A Sophomore Boys Basketball Tournament at Skyview. Mountain Home, who split with the Vikings during the regular season, winning at Middleton and losing at home, fell behind, 11-5, after a quarter. The Tigers held Middleton to just four points in the second period and battled back to within one, 15-14, at the half...

The Mountain Home Tigers finished fifth at the State 4A Wrestling Championships at the Idaho Center in Nampa over the weekend and had eight wrestlers medal. Mountain Home took 15 wrestlers to the state tourney, and after the first day of matches still had 12 open with wins and the Tigers were in first place in the team standings. Ten of the wresters won at least two matches, and seven of them made the Friday night semi-finals, with three of them making the championship finals...

Organizers of the senior celebration are sponsoring a "Carnage on the Court" fundraiser on Tuesday, March 4, beginning at 7 p.m. in the high school gymnasium. Members of the high school wrestling team and the basketball team will square off against each other in an exhibition basketball game and exhibition wrestling match...

Ten MHHS Business students participated in the recent Regional Business Professionals of America Conference, competing in various competitive events ranging from computer events to mock interviews. The Mountain Home students brought home four first-place, five second-place, four third-place, one fourth-place, and three fifth-place awards...

Elks Lodge #2276 celebrated its annual sweetheart's dinner honoring its new and past queens. This years 2008 Queen was Brenda Fincher. Her court included first runner-up Lamay Hyatt, second runner-up Leann Oletski, third runner-up Helen Loughran and fourth runner-up Renee Giles...

The 5th Annual Bunco for Breast Cancer fundraiser, held Feb. 23, raised more than $6,000 for cancer victim assistance, organizers said. A total of 128 women from all over the Treasure Valley traveled to Mountain Home to play Bunco and raise money for St. Luke's Breast Care Services program. The American Legion Hall was turned into a pink palace for an evening that benefitted women in their fight against breast cancer...

Elmore County Sheriff Rick Layher will be pushing the county commissioners to add more patrol deputies to his staff when the county begins looking at next year's budget. The recent winter storms have underscored his limited manpower on the roads. There were times when there were simply more accidents than officers available to deal with them, and since most of those accidents were on I-84, it meant pulling deputies off their regular patrols of the county's roads...

Owyhee County officials have ordered emergency area closures throughout the county due to angers to the public caused by the snowpack, run-off, mud and erratic weather conditions. The closures were designed to protect public health and safety. Sheriff Gary Aman has reported several recent incidents in which his office has been called to rescue stranded motorists and vehicles...

A student at West Elementary School reported to school officials Wednesday a rumor that a student had brought a gun to school, and a handgun in a box was later found on the school grounds based on information that student supplied.

The Glenns Ferry School District has reached an agreement with the Elmore County Sheriff's Office that will alert school officials when deputies are engaged in a high-speed chase on I-84. Several weeks ago, Glenns Ferry School District Superintendent Wayne Rush spoke with Elmore County Sheriff Rick Layher asking that the district be told when deputies are in pursuit of a subject...