Stories from Wednesday, February 4, 2009

But airbase, Marathon Cheese help provide some insulation to recession

Travelers on I-84 between Boise and Mountain Home should be aware of wintering elk and other big game animals, the Idaho Transportation Department announced. Recently, drivers have spotted elk and other big game animals near or crossing the interstate in the 30-mile stretch between the Blacks Creek exit and the first Mountain Home exit...

Mountain Home Junior High will host its second annual season speech and debate tournament, the "UBus2Us" tournament, on Friday, Feb. 6 and Saturday, Feb. 7. The "UBus2Us" name came from the fact that in the past the Mountain Home Talkin' Tigers speech and debate team had to always travel to other schools to participate in speech and debate competition. Last year was the first time the team was able to host its own tournament...

Dear editor: The Jan. 28 issue had a letter from Rebecca Lampman concerning our education budget cut. I concur with her 100 percent but I would like to point out a few facts. Ms. Lampman only pointed out what was wrong and what was not acceptable. In her entire letter I don't see any solutions offered. Maybe she could rethink the process and come up with some ideas where we could save more money somewhere and put it into education...

Loree Carolline McCain, 59, of Mountain Home, died Jan. 27, 2009, at her home. A celebration of her life will be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 7, at Adrian's Club, located at 240 S. Main St. in Mountain Home. Cremation was under the direction of Rost Funeral Home, McMurtrey Chapel...

Mountain Home High School is now preparing for the new school reorganization plan, in which the ninth grade will move into the high school and Hacker Middle School will only have grades 5 and 6 next fall. The plan was approved during the last meeting of the Mountain Home School Board...

The draft of a new, revised business plan and changes in the developing facilities plan for the Western Elmore County Recreation District marked the WERCD's regular January meeting last Wednesday. The meeting was filled with supporters and opponents of the distict's proposal to build a community center, complete with a swimming pool, with opponents sharply questioning some of the board's basic assumptions, especially concerning costs and revenue...

Five Mountain Home High School band students participated in the annual Boise State University Honor Band Jan. 31. Students included: Heidi Peck -- flute, Elizabeth Jewell and Terah Bargman -- clarinet, Miriam Forrest -- trumpet, and Levan Smith -- tuba. The band consists of about 160 of the best band students from around the Treasure Valley...

Dear editor: Adjusting local government to match declining economic conditions is difficult. The national government can raise taxes, print money, borrow money against further generation's earnings, or downsize. State government can raise taxes, take the broad brush approach and take the 20 percent across-the-board cost cutting, or downsize. With local government the choices become fewer. Local government can raise taxes or down size...

Dear editor: I rarely write a letter to the editor. But when someone calls our Parks and Recreation staff "lazy", as Brittnee Harrison did in last week's paper, I have to set the record straight. The Recreation Department employs five individuals who manage over 100 programs with over 4,000 participants, thousands of spectators and hundreds of volunteers every year. ...

Dear editor: I could not allow Brittnee Harrison's criticism of Parks and Recreation in her recent letter to the editor to pass without responding. For thirty years I have had the privilege of working as a volunteer alongside the Parks and Recreation staff, dating back to 1979 when I first coached youth sports. In 1982 then Mayor Don Etter invited me to join the Parks and Recreation Board where I served for 22 years...

The Mountain Home Library will be participating in the Big Read again this year. The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts designed to revitalize the role of literary reading in American popular culture. It encourages people all across the country to read and discuss a single book within their communities...

Hugh Albert Peebler, 91, of Oasis, died Monday, Jan. 26, 2009, at his home. A memorial service was held Tuesday, Feb. 3, at the Mountain Home Idaho Stake Center, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Hugh was born on March 8, 1917, in Nampa, Idaho, the son of Everett and Myrtie Peebler. He was raised in Smith's Prairie...

January 28 • 02:08 Vehicle Stop, MH• 05:22 Slide Off, Hwy 20• 06:31 Collision Unknown, I-84 EB• 07:03 Slide Off, I-84 EB• 07:08 Slide Off, MH• 08:01 Motorist Assist, MH• 09:14 Abandoned Vehicle, MH• 09:42 Vehicle Stop, Hwy 30• 10:26 Collision Property Damage, Hwy 67• 10:28 Slide Off, MH• 13:36 Traffic, Pine/Featherville• 13:55 Parking Violation, Pine/Featherville• 15:01 Motorist Assist, I-84 WB• 15:55 Welfare, MH• 16:27 Slide Off, Hwy 20• 17:05 Threats, Glenns Ferry• 18:28 Hazard, MH• 18:46 Found Property, Pine/Featherville• 19:44 Vehicle Stop, Hwy 30• 23:57 Vehicle Stop, I-84 WB. ...

Hailey Elizabeth Woods, 10, of Mountain Home, died Sunday, Jan. 18, 2009, at a Boise hospital. A viewing was held Thursday, Jan. 22, at Rost Funeral Home, McMurtrey Chapel. Funeral mass was held Friday, Jan. 23, at Our Lady of Good Counsel and burial followed at Mountain View Cemetery in Mountain Home. Arrangements were under the direction of Rost Funeral Home, McMurtrey Chapel in Mountain Home...

Mildred Evelyn BenHayon, 95, of King Hill, died Monday, Jan. 26, 2009, at Magic Valley Manor Assisted Living in Wendell. At her request no services are planned. Cremation was under the direction of Demaray Funeral Service, Gooding Chapel. Mildred was born April 4, 1913, in Plainwell, Mich., to Calvin and Bertha Newman...

Jason Carlton and Chantel Healy of Mountain Home, have announced the birth of a boy, Mason Clifford Carlton-Healy, on Jan. 20, 2009, at St. Lukes Hospital. Mason weighed 6 lb. 12 oz. and was 19 inches long at birth. His grandparents are Trudy Spickelmier, Bob and Jan Chaney and Don Carlton. Great-grandparents are David and Clarice Hamman and Dorothy Machuel, all of Mountain Home...

Talk of nuclear plants and conditional use permits dominated discussions during the Elmore County Commissioners' public hearing on Jan. 26 regarding proposed changes to the county's planning and zoning ordinances, changes that basically rewrite the county's ordinances...

The Mountain Home Tigers let one get away from them at home, but came from behind to win on the road last week as they split their conference boys basketball games. Vikings 55 Tigers 46 Middleton put together big first and third quarters to hold off the Tigers, 55-46, Friday night in boys conference action in Lloyd Schiller Gymnasium in Mountain Home...

The Mountain Home Lady Tigers saw their win streak snapped at three by Bishop Kelly last week, but bounced back to end the regular season with an impressive win over Emmett. The Lady Tigers take an 8-6 conference mark and 9-10 overall record, including eight wins in their last 12 games, into the District III 4A Girls Basketball Tournament, which starts tonight. They host Nampa at 7 p.m. tonight in Lloyd Schiller Gymnasium...

JV Tigers close regular season with two losses

The Mountain Home Tiger wrestling team came away with a split of its dual matches with Kuna and Timberline, beating the Wolves, but losing to the Kavemen last Tuesday night in Lloyd Schiller Gymnasium in Mountain Home. Tigers 51 Timberline 35 The Tigers racked up nine wins against the Wolves, six by pins, in beating Timberline 51-35...

The Mountain Home Tigers came up short in their JV conference boys basketball games last week, losing at home and on the road. Middleton 61 Mtn. Home 48 A fourth quarter rally by the Tigers proved to be too little, too late, as the Tiger JV lost to Middleton 61-48 Friday night in boys basketball action in Lloyd Schiller Gymnasium...

The Mountain Home Tigers managed a split in sophomore boys basketball last week, losing at home and winning on the road. Middleton 57 Mtn. Home 43 The Middleton sophomores pulled away in the second half to down the Mountain Home Tiger sophomores 57-43 in boys basketball Friday night in Lloyd Schiller Gymnasium...

The Mountain Home Lady Tigers sophomore girls basketball team ended its regular season schedule with a split of its games last week. Bishop Kelly 43 Mtn. Home 32 The Mountain Home Lady Tigers dropped a 43-32 sophomore girls basketball game at Bishop Kelly last Tuesday night...

Attention Mountain Home Tiger football alumni! Remember when your coach said most of you will never put on the pads again after your high school career? Well, he was wrong. Mountain Home High School will hold its first (and hopefully annual) Alumni Football game on Friday, June 5 at Tiger Field...

Every member of the Mountain Home High School's wrestling team who wins 100 matches over the course of their career gets their name on the "Century Club" plaque. The plaque sits outside the school's gymnasium inside a trophy case among the trophies the team has collected over the years...

Frank Brady grew up wanting to fly, but since he was one of nine kids, his family just didn't have the resources to turn his dream into a reality. Ten years ago, as the owner of his own sheet metal shop, Brady decided the time was right to finally learn how to fly. With his wife's blessing, he began to take flying lessons...