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Idaho Enterprise

2021 Year in Review

County Growth

One of the major issues throughout 2021 was the prospect of county growth.  While the influx of new residents into the valley hasn’t been massive, it has been noticeable.  School enrollment numbers have rebounded from 2020, and suggest a growing younger population.  Housing developments have become a subject of discussion at Planning and Zoning meetings, and have intersected with a new Development Code put into place by the County over the course of the year.  A distinction between different types and sizes of subdivisions created some growing pains for developers looking to bring new housing possibilities into the valley.

Among them, the subdivision proposed by Brad Hess on Highway 38 became the focal point of discussions about the approval process for what are termed “major subdivisions” (a lot with more than 4 splits from the original parcel), as opposed to “minor subdivisions.”  Over the course of the year, the process itself, as well as the effect of the City’s “Impact Zone” became major points of discussion.  The “Impact Zone” refers to the area outside the city limits where the city anticipates growth moving forward, which affects the zoning approval process for both the city and the county.  As a result of the confusion experienced while transitioning from the county’s older Development Code to the new one, the city and county have planned to meet more frequently to discuss the current state of the Impact Zone and other zoning issues.

Growth also made itself felt in the City itself, as the property south of the City Park also became a topic of discussion, with a number of proposals for its future use.  Currently, there are several possibilities for development under consideration.  The City’s Wastewater facilities are wscheduled to be updated and expanded, as is the county’s trash collection, which will now become a multi-county endeavor under the IDAWY shared landfill out of county.  

As the year ends, a number of projects—most immediately the renovation of Bannock street—which had been proposed and developed over the year are ready to begin or near completion after the winter ebbs, allowing for construction. 

Precipitation 

Speaking of winter, last year’s January 14th issue reported on the low precipitation totals for 2020, which have already been beaten for 2021 without December fully reported yet…though not by much.  2020 had a final precipitation total of 12.33 inches, while 2021 reported 13.18 excluding December (the unofficial precipitation number for December is 1.75 inches).  Considering the snowfall over the last several weeks, it’s likely that the total will end up being above the Mean precipitation for the valley since 2001 of 14.33 inches.  The increase isn’t enough to radically change the outlook for this year in terms of water storage, but it’s worth noting that there is an increase, rather than a decrease.  A temperature forecast for 2022 has not been released by the National Weather Service yet, but last year’s totals are in, and if you thought it was hotter you weren’t imagining it.  The average temperature over 2021 was 48.7, up from 47.4 the prior year, but not as high as the stand out years of 2015 or 2000, with average temperatures in the 50s.  July was 2021’s hottest month, with a temperature average of 76.5, and the coldest month was January, with a 26.4 average.  The latter seems likely on its way to repeating itself, as temperatures have so far been extremely cold the first few days of the year.

Fires

With cold at one end of the spectrum, high summer temperatures represent the other, and with them, the perennial threat of wildfires.  Wildfires across the region played a big part in the air quality of the valley during many of the summer months as the US experienced one of the worst fire seasons on record.  Large fires in Oregon, California, Washington, and northern Idaho filled our part of the state with weeks worth of constant, low-lying smoke.  In July, the Governor declared a state of emergency and mobilized the National Guard to aid firefighters in Idaho and surrounding states.  By the end of August, the fires had mostly died down across the west, but surely promise to return with the hot weather.

The Splash Pad (use SplashPadOpening.jpg)

The City’s new splash pad was a story long in the making.  The first issue of 2021, January 7th, makes note of the fact the process to secure the funding and begin the construction of the water feature was underway, and hoped to begin in earnest during the spring, with a planned Memorial Day opening.  The project was initiated with a grant from the Idaho Community Development Block Grant and National Parks, as well as a large fundraising effort from Malad citizens.  The original bids ended up coming in too high and the bidding process was restarted.  As the spring turned into summer, various preparatory aspects of the projects were undertaken by volunteers, who laid the sod and prepared the ultimate location.  As the summer grew longer, issues with the state inspection process required further delays in the completion of the process.  Ultimately, the pieces were finally in place for a fall opening, which allowed for a September grand opening, and the many months of “when will the splash pad open?” from kids in town to be put to rest.  The nearly two months the splash pad was able to remain in operation until prudence, and the weather, necessitated turning it off were worth the wait for those who were able to enjoy its refreshing water during a hot late summer.  The even better news is that the facility should have all its kinks worked out for next season.  Once again “when will the splash pad open?” will be a common refrain, but this time for a much different reason!

Lighting the Walkway

Another welcome and exciting change to the City Park was the introduction of lights for the walking path.  The result of another grant, the city was able to install night time lighting for segments of the walkway and basketball courts, allowing for increased security of the facility, as well as extending the hours for those looking for a central and well-maintained area for exercising.  While, like the splash pad, the outdoor recreation opportunities will really hit their peak use during the warmer months, a nighttime walk through the snowy path is certainly a charming experience.  

City Achievement Award

On June 17th, the project resulted in the City of Malad being awarded a City Achievement Award from the Association of Idaho Cities (AIC) in the category of Parks and Recreation.  The project included a number of improvements to the city park, including baseball and basketball facilities, upgrades to the walkway, the bandshell, and a disc golf course.    

Welsh Festival (use WelshPoetry.jpg)

One of the biggest losses for Malad over the second year of COVID-19 was the cancelling of the full Welsh festival celebration.  The Welsh Festival is the flagship celebration of the community’s past, and its heritage as a Welsh pioneer valley.  The festival is generally an event filled with music, food, poetry, games, art, a history pageant, and the gathering of families from around the valley, as well as a number of national and international visitors.  Due to its timing this year, the event was restricted to the Poetry Festival component, held inside the stake center with social distancing.  While it was a scaled back event, it did allow for continuity of the event’s Adult Poetry Reading.  A new bard for the year was not officially named, leaving the previous winner Cory Webster as the reigning Malad Valley Welsh Festival Bard.   The Patsy Scott Poetry Prize, however, was awarded to John Ward, from Elko, Nevada, who grew up in Malad.  The Welsh Festival Board is meeting early this year to develop a timeline.  At this time, the organizers are committed to holding the event in as close to the normal fashion as possible, though unexpected developments may cause some components to be held outside.

Oneida Crisis Center and Carols Pantry (use PaintTown.jpg)

One of the area’s best resources for those in need of assistance, whether material, emotional, or otherwise, had good year.  The Oneida Crisis Center was established to help provide support to those in unstable situations.  In some cases, the assistance takes the form of a welcoming shelter from potentially unsafe domestic situations.  In others, the Center is able to provide warm and wellness items.  Carol’s Pantry serves as a community food pantry for anyone in need of food assistance.  As a result of grants, the Center was able to expand its facilities in order to meet the always present needs of even more people in the community.  Its Valentine’s fundraising event was a giant success, and the pantry supported several other events throughout the year, including the Suicide Awareness/Prevention Walk and others, including the Paint the Town Purple event the second week in October, which distributed lunches in promotion of Domestic Violence awareness, and saw a potentially record number of locals drive through the parking lot next to the City Park.  

Changes at the Enterprise

For us here at the Enterprise, one of the biggest stories of the year was the change in ownership of the paper itself.  After four decades of providing an invaluable service to the community, editor Kristine Smith retired from her role as editor and publisher, and turned the keys over to local Bryan Scott, owner of Loyal Perch Media.  

Kris has been an invaluable voice of knowledge and experience as the paper has made the transition this year.  

In addition to Kris herself, writers Joan Hawkins, Krishele Jensen, Jean Thomas, Natalie Jensen, Stephie Briggs, Celeste Smith and others have been on hand to provide stories, advice, phone numbers, and many other forms of support this last year.

In Kris’ final edition, May 20th she wrote: “To My Dear Friends, This is my last edition of The Idaho Enterprise.  If you think I am not sobbing, you are wrong.  The Idaho Enterprise is my pride and joy.  It is my soul.  It is everything to me.  I have given it my all.  I care deeply about the good people of the county, and about the future.  The Enterprise will care on under quite capable management and ownership.  It will be guided to a new level, but stay hometown news.  I am pleased.  Farewell, Kristine Deschamps Smith.”  

While we have tried some new things out, and changed some of our basic elements of formatting, design, and so on, we have tried as much as possible to maintain continuity with the long and proud history of the Enterprise, through all its various forms over the last 142 (now 143!) years.  As we move ever forward, we hope to maintain the small-town news focus that many of our readers look for and enjoy, and in a way that Kris can remain proud of.

The Fourth of July (use Downpour4th.jpg and Mural.jpg)

One celebration that was not interrupted this year was the traditional 4th of July weekend, which saw both the Kids Parade and the full parade go off without a hitch.  The event was highlighted by a performance by country music artist Nathan Osmond, who has local ties to the area through Samaria.  In addition to Osmond’s lively set and the standard fireworks, the “Malad’s Got Talent” contest featured numerous aspiring entertainers, and an unexpected summer downpour to cool down the festivities!

Vietnam War Veteran and former County Commissioner Bob Stokes was the Honored Veteran of the weekend.  With a storied career in the military and in law enforcement, Stokes’ record of service is truly impressive, and he is an active member of the American Legion.  In November, Stokes was a proud member of the Legion’s Veteran’s Day appearances, along with Gene Caldwell.  Over the last year, Caldwell has been an important part of the renewed effort to create a pictorial history of Oneida County’s Veterans, along with Kay Caldwell, Brent Bowen, and Kathy Kent.

Bertha Hess was named the Honored Pioneer in 2021 for the 4th.  The Chamber of Commerce selects an Honored Pioneer to reflect someone with a strong and important connection to the valley, and the history of the community.  Born in Downey in 1925, Bertha has been just such person.

Laura Dickerson was named the “Volunteer of the Year” for 2021 by the City of Malad.  In addition to her many other areas of service, Dickerson was specifically singled out for her tireless years of dedication to the Girl Scouts organization.  During her award ceremony at the City Park bandshell, many of those in the crowd were former and current girls she had provided wisdom and instruction to over the years.  

Spence and Debbie Horsley were named the Grand Marshalls of the 4th of July Parade.  As a couple, the Horsley’s have lived in Malad since 1976.  Spence was born here to Raymond and Maxine Petersen Horsley, and raised in nearby Downey.  Debbie graduated from Rigby High School, and the two met through the LDS church.  The Horsleys have had a long history of service in and to the city of Malad, including Spence’s tenure as mayor.  

The 4th of July also coincided with the official unveiling of the mural on the side of the Daisy Hollow building, which welcomes visitors into downtown Malad.  A long process of arranging for the painting with a regional muralist and Daisy Hollow owner Chris Jensen ultimately led up to the mural, depicting progress across the valley over the years.    

Kambrie Horsley (use the picture from the obituary we ran on July 29 and BallonsElementary.jpg if possible)

The Horsley family and the community at large suffered an unimaginable tragedy on July 26th, when 10 year old Kambrie Horsley, daughter of Brad and Kristen, passed away as the result of injuries sustained in a road accident.  The news spread through town immediately, and the outpouring of sorrow and consolation was a reminder of the caring and closely-knit community that Malad is.  The community gathered to line the road of the funeral procession with blue ribbons and stand along the route with blue balloons to show unity in support of the family.  Malad Elementary School began collecting memories from Kambrie’s classmates, which culminated in a memorial balloon release at the school in her honor.  Classmates were able to express their grief at her passing, as well as their warm memories of having had the privilege of knowing her.  During the sports season, members of varsity teams wore jerseys in her honor, and the family was honored at many of the season’s events, including a presentation during before the Homecoming game in September.  

New Temple Completed in Pocatello (use TempleOpenHouse.jpg if there’s room)

Of interest to many residents of the valley was the completion of the new temple in Pocatello, Idaho, which officially opened for open house tours in September, and for full service in November.  During its open house period, many Malad residents traveled north for the rare opportunity to tour an LDS temple building.  While Malad itself is within the Brigham Temple district, members are welcome to visit any temple for services.

Fair and Rodeo (use Rodeopic.jpg)

Another event that was not overly effected by COVID this year was the Oneida County Fair, and the surrounding Rodeo events and Pari-mutuel racing.  The fair was an astounding success, with participation levels as high as they have ever been, and featuring a full complement of ag and art events.  

This year’s stock sale was another massive success.  While there was some concern about economic issues over the COVID summer, buyers returned in force to purchase animals raised by local kids.  

Scales and Tails revisited the fair this year, with a range of exotic reptiles such as snakes, turtles, lizards, and enough scaly critters to keep the large crowds entertained, along with such events as the ATV and Bike show, and a variety of interactive booths, displays, and contests.  Food was also a major draw of the week.

New Faces

Over the summer, the University of Idaho Agricultural Extension Office hired a new Extension educator, by the name of Sawyer Fonnesbeck.  Fonnesbeck has studied and worked in the world of agricultural education for a number of years, and comes to Oneida county most recently from Utah.  Since the beginning of his tenure, Fonnesbeck has organized an Insect Extravaganza, as well as a number of educational sessions open to the public.  Most recently, the Extension hosted an informative class on winter feeding for beef cattle.  

During the fall, the City Council elections resulted in the election of Tyrell Neal to the position vacated by Larry Knudsen, who decided not to run again.  The other City Council spot, opened up by the resignation of Tom Jenkins, was filled by Jaime Olsen, who ran third in the elections.  

Diana Dredge was named as the new Road and Bridge department head over the summer.  

9/11 Day of Service (9/11/2021) (useDayofService.jpg)

Individuals and organizations from around the valley have participated in the 9/11 Day of Service on the own for many years since the day was first established, but 2021 was the first year that Oneida County officially participated in the national event.  The event was begun to create a positive means to commemorate the tragedy of the terrorist attacks of 2001, and the rekindle the spirit of community and service that characterized the years immediately afterward.

A variety of groups put together various service activities across the valley to initiate the Day.  Vicky Kent headed up the cleanup of Pioneer park, which focused on repainting benches and the baseball dugout.  Bill Lewis and Trevor Jones were in charge of a large garbage collection project at Crowthers Reservoir, which resulted in hundreds of pounds of garbage (including a refrigerator!) removed from the area.  Art Martinez led others in a cleanup of North Canyon.  In Samaria, Luke Waldron helped organize a number of cleanup, repair and improvements of Heritage Square in Samaria.  As a part of the project, Gabe Hooste and Xander Cammack completed Eagle projects.  Bob and Kathy Kent led the cleanup and beautification efforts in Holbrook.  Afterwards, the Interfaith Council provided lunch for all the volunteers.  Due to the success of the Day of Service, it is planned to become a yearly tradition. 

Library wins “Library of the Year” (use LibraryofYear.jpg)

Speaking of Kathy Kent, the Oneida County Library was honored with a prestigious “Best Library of the Year” by the Idaho Library Association.  The award is given in recognition of a library in the state which has excelled at providing services to its community, demonstrated a pioneering ability to incorporate new technology, and offered a high-quality environment for its staff.  Obviously, the OCL excels at each of those characteristics, and hosted a number of exciting and important programs over the course of the year.  The Summer Reading Series was once again very popular among local schoolkids, and gave the, a way to keep busy during the year.  New additions to the resources of the library allowed patrons to try out Virtual Reality, 3-D printing and a range of other innovative means of interacting with information.  The eBook and Audio book programs expanded.  The Library hosted a “Ghost Night” featuring local researcher Elizabeth Kent, as well as regional author John Olsen, who enthralled listeners with his accounts of supernatural encounters.

PTO Halloween Carnival

Another first that may become a tradition in the future was the holding of the PTO Halloween Carnival inside the newly available Event Center.  Partly, this was in anticipation of cold, but also served the purpose of seeing how the event would work in the space, which was not possible in 2020 due to COVID concerns.  As a result, the carnival was able to take advantage of the best of both worlds, with the large outdoor fair space for hayrides, a maze, pumpkin contest, and spook alley, and the interior for the variety of games, treats, and events that made the carnival a fun time for everyone who attended.  

COVID

Like everywhere else in the country (and the rest of the world) COVID-19 was a major factor throughout 2021.  While not as disruptive as the events of the 2020 spread of the disease and various back and forth regulations, 2021 certainly affected events and planning in major ways.  On the plus side, the various federal funds established to compensate and bolster local communicates (ARPA and CARES, most importantly) provided for a number of local funding possibilities, especially those related to emergency planning and health care.  Partly as a result of the funds, the county was able to purchase a number of needed supplies for the sheriff’s, fire department, and emergency planner’s office.

The year saw the widespread introduction of the vaccine and boosters, which were provided by the hospital at clinics inside the Event Center.  Overall, hundreds of people took the opportunity to become vaccinated through the clinics, especially in the face of the Delta variant, which emerged during the middle of the year.  The Omicron variant, which first became apparent just a few months ago, has made it unclear exactly how many cycles of the disease will continue to emerge, what their severity will be, and what the effectiveness of vaccines will continue to be.  

Hospital Events (use GranFondo.jpg)

Over the course of 2021, the Nell J Redfield Memorial Hospital sponsored and supported many community activities.  

In July, the Hospital hosted a hydration station for the Utah-Cache Gran Fondo, a 100 mile bike race that passes through Weston and Malad on a loop that begins in Logan.  Malad is one of the central stops in the event—essentially the midway point—and many of the racers expressed their feeling that Malad is the best stop on the route.  During July, the air was incredibly smoky as a result of wildfires, and medical care and hydration were especially important.

In late September, NJRMH was a sponsor (along with Safe Kids Worldwide, the Idaho Transportation Department, and the NHTSA) of car seat clinics, designed to help ensure that parents had the correct devices properly installed in their vehicles. 

The Hospital and Clinic also sponsored a “Brake For Breakfast” event on October 6th, which was designed to raise awareness of the various mammography services available to Oneida County residents.  This year exceeded last year’s totals, and made it clear that Malad cares about Breast Cancer.

Throughout the fall and into the winter, the hospital and clinic sponsored both flu shot and COVID clinics.  The events were well attended by those who wanted protection against the viruses. 

School Districts (use the cover picture from the June 3 edition “Malad High School holds 108th etc)

It was a busy and eventful year for the Oneida County School District.  With the school year of 2020-2021 and the school year 2021-2022 occuring during different phases of the ongoing pandemic.  Luckily, the school district was able to hold in-person graduation ceremonies for the class of 2021, complete with friends and parents.   Former Student Body President Chase Richardson was the first to celebrate the event, as he introduced the program and the 58 students who graduated.

Another major event in the district was the appointment of new Superintendent of Schools Jon Abrams in February.  Abrams came to Malad with a long history of service in both the military and the education arena, and he has been able to participate in many firsts during his inaugural year, including sporting events, assemblies, and as the principal of the Stone Elementary School.  Abrams was able to bring both aspects of his service together as the keynote speaker of the Veterans Day program, where he spoke as both a veteran and an administrator.

Teacher of the Year awards were given out at the May 23 Senior Assembly.  Special Education instructor Heidi Anderson of MHS discussed how she loved to see learning beginning to take hold in her students, something she herself had to become familiar with during the difficulties of adjusting to a variety of platforms during the 2020-2021 COVID teaching year.  “I love being a teacher and coming to school, even on the rough days.  Their success is my success!” she said.

The other teacher of the year was Scott Ray, who retired from teaching in Malad this year after 31 years here teaching everything imaginable.  Rumor has it that his retirement didn’t fully take, and he’s still part-time teaching in Utah.  

Employees of the Month

January—Linda Sullivan

Feb—Julie Bates

March—Mary Lyn Brangham

April/May—Sandra Colton (MES); Luke Wladron (MMS); Emma Hill (Stone)

September—Valorie Hubbard

October—Susan Clark

November—Irene Alder

December—Elizabeth Kent


Christmas Coloring Contest (use ColoringContestSanta.jpg)

The annual Christmas Coloring Contest, sponsored by The Enterprise, had a change of venue in 2021.  Rather than the parking lot outside Allen Drug, the event was held at the Event Center.  A perfect spot for the event, the Center managed to give a warmer place for the hundreds who ultimately showed up for a chance to win prizes, meet Santa, and enjoy treats and hot chocolate.  Santa, as always, was a huge hit.

School Events (use HCRoyalty2.jpg and ChristmasConcert.jpg)

The school year was a busy one for every grade, with a full slate of events during the year.  From spring sports to Christmas programs, there was rarely a week without a school event of one sort or another.  

The High School saw its commencement ceremonies for spring return to semi-normal fashion.  The year new school year began with a return to normal enrollment numbers.  Homecoming featured a return to events such as the parade, the bonfire, the game ball being dropped from an airplane, an a few undefeated sports seasons.  

The Middle and High Schools combined for their own Veterans Day program, in addition to the traditional Elementary school program, which this year featured veteran and superintendent Jon Abrams as the keynote speaker.

The elementary school also hosted their annual Halloween parade from the school to the hospital and back.  

Around the Community (use a picture from the  May 6th front page on Cinderella)

Arts

In May, the Oxford Peaks Arts Council presented a youth production of Rogers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella” with a full youth cast of dozens.  The musical, which expands on the familiar fairy tale, was a massive and well-received production, on an impressively realized scale.

The IronDoor theatre put on a production of the melodrama “The Mystery of Mansion Briarcliff” during the 4th of July weekend, which was also an impressively staged work.  Directed by Jeff Richins from a script by Terry Hale, the play was a huge hit with the audiences with the holiday audiences who were lucky enough to catch it.

In early September, the Oxford Peaks Arts Council also sponsored “A Day of Art on Main street” event, which featured local artists, musicians, the quilters guild, and a history tour.  The old Co-op building was opened to the public during the tour, with Luke Waldron taking people through the downtown area and explaining the history of the buildings in the area, including the Co-op, Iron Door Playhouse, the Museum, and others. Luke Waldron was awarded the Esto Perpetua award on August 23rd, for his efforts in educating his students in history, and working to preserve local historical sites.

Later in the fall, a production of “Clue” (based on a play based on the film based on the board game) was directed by Ada Marie Campbell, and managed to capture the humor and complexity of the script very well.  

A Live Nativity scene was sponsored in December by the Interfaith Council, and featured singing and narration of the story of Christ’s birth, surrounded by livestock and a fully constructed manger.

Service

During the homecoming weekend, Thayne Barker was named the Legionnaire of the Year by the local American Legion Post 65 for his many years of active membership and service.  The Legion participated in numerous activities throughout the year, including the annual Memorial Day and Veterans Day celebrations.

The Lions were also busy, worked as always to collect eyeglasses for those in need throughout the year, and repainting and repairing structures throughout the Malad City Park.

Oddities (use Bigfoot.jpg)

One of the stories that took the Enterprise off guard as far as its popularity and the accompanying public interest was a report of a sasquatch sighting during the fall.  The initial report was a small item in the sheriff’s dispatch, which turned into a larger series of reports about the occasional strange sightings that many people have reported over the years around the Oxford Peak area.  

As the edition of the paper made its way through the community, our offices were visited by dozens of people who either claimed to have had first hand encounters with something strange in the area, or had been told by someone else who was convinced that they had.  

As we looked into the matter, we discovered that Kris Smith had personally investigated a similar claim in 1981, in which two gold prospectors had been scared aware from the area by a “large, hairy creature” and remained permanently convinced it had been Bigfoot.  Regional writer John Olsen, featured speaker at the library’s Ghost Night, confirmed that the area was replete with similar stories.