Stories from Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Clara Belle Dietrich of Mountain Home and Melvin Ridge of Jerome have announced the engagement of their daughter, Katie Marie Thomas, to David Anthony Villeneuve. The couple are both of Mountain Home. The groom-to-be is the son of Walter Eugene Villeneuve of Mountain Home and Janie Mitchell of Las Vegas, Nev. A graduate of Mountain Home High School, he is currently employed at Whitney Allied Transfer and Storage of Mountain Home...

Dora Rios and Jose Gomez of Mountain Home have announced the engagement of their daughter, Susana Alejandria Gomez, to Humberto Cardenas Jr. of Homedale, son of Humberto and Maria Cardenas of Homedale. The couple are both currently residing in Pocatello...

By the time he was 16 years old, Manny Scott's life was pretty much over. His father was in prison, and his mother was a victim of physical abuse. From fourth to ninth grade, he was typically missing 60 to 90 days of school each year. By the time he dropped out during his freshman year, his grade-point average had dropped to 0.6...

The 53rd annual Air Force Appreciation Day in Mountain Home -- the community's largest celebration -- kicks off Saturday morning. The event is designed to honor men and women stationed at Mountain Home Air Force Base and to recognize all uniformed members of the U.S. armed forces...

The Kelley Fire grew to 15,700 acres by press time Tuesday morning. Baumgartner Campground was in the bullseye of the fire's advance, which had at least burned to the edge of the popular recreation area, but it's exact status was not immediately known...

Dear editor: Our family would like to acknowledge all of those who helped to rally around our local ranching community, in effort to contain the Elk and Pony Complex fires. We owe a special thanks to our friends and neighbors, along with members of our local law enforcement, emergency response and county highway district, all of whom were quick to lend a helping hand. We also owe a large thanks to Idaho Power and their crews who worked tirelessly to restore power to our community...

Dear editor: I want to apologize to everyone who showed up at the Phoenix Storybook bookstore on Friday, Aug. 30, between 3 and 8 p.m. (on American Legion Boulevard) to find that the book signing for my book "Boars, Bazaars, and Bugging Out" was a non-happening...

Dear editor: Based on our peculiar location directly behind a small mountain, a large canyon and a large mountain with a lot of dead trees, live trees and brush, both dead and alive, we were in huge jeopardy as the fire was roaring towards Dog Creek Mountain...

Avis J. Simmonds, 95, of Mountain Home, passed away on Sept. 4, 2013, at a local care center. Arrangements are under the direction of Rost Funeral Home, McMurtrey Chapel.