Stories from Thursday, September 1, 2011

Online football enthusiasts have a chance to win a variety of prizes during the "Pigskin Pick 'Em" contest hosted by the Mountain Home News. Each week, the newspaper posts the upcoming NFL matchups as well as games featuring the Mountain Home Tigers varsity football team on its website. Participants simply determine which of these teams will win their respective games with the person making the most accurate predictions becoming the contest's weekly winner...

Whether the city's youth center stays open after Oct. 1 remains in question as the Western Elmore County Recreation District debates whether to approve a partnership with the Mountain Home organization. Twice this month, representatives with the youth center approached the county agency in hopes of receiving financial support for the next fiscal year...

A former staff member at a private juvenile corrections center in Mountain Home received a suspended jail sentence and two year's probation in a case involving inappropriate behavior with an inmate at the facility. During her appearance in district court Monday morning, Stephanie L. Hoagland also agreed to pay more than $500 in fines and legal fees and is prohibited from having contact with anyone under the age of 18 with the exception of her family members...

The Idaho Volunteer Fire and Emergency Services Association convention in Mountain Home last week was termed a "huge success" by both organizers and participants. The annual convention drew at least 75 representatives from volunteer fire and ambulance service districts across Idaho to the four-day event. Several representatives who were expected to attend were unable to make it because they were fighting fires in their districts, said Mountain Home Fire Chief Phil Gridley...

Maia Ellis encourages her toy poodle, Hope, to perform a trick during the Mountain Home Happy Pet Daze on Saturday at Legacy Park. The tiny pooch won the smallest dog competition during the afternoon's list of contests. Other competitions held at the park judged each pet based on its overall size, longest and shortest hair, most unusual animal, best tricks and snack catchers along with a best of show prize. Photo by Brian S. Orban...

The Mountain Home Tigers open their football season this Friday night at home against the Columbia Wildcats. Brian Floyd is in his eighth season as head coach of the Tigers, and is fairly pleased with the numbers he has out for football this season...

The Mountain Home Lady Tigers came away with a split of their home-opening conference volleyball matches with Skyview and Nampa last Thursday, losing to Skyview in three games and beating Nampa in four. Skyview 25, 25, 25 Mountain Home 5, 20, 23 First game jitters definitely got to Mountain Home in the opening game against Skyview Thursday night, as Skyview scored 15 consecutive points to win the first game 25-5...

Healthcare reform legislation and what it means to healthcare workers in Idaho is the topic of the Promoting a Healthy Idaho conference to be held in Boise September 30 at Boise State University. ...

Hog Fire, near Midnight Blue and Airbase Road