Established 1865 EEighth-graderighth-grader tteesees uupp fforor nnationalational ttitleitle aatt AAugusta,ugusta, PPageage 1144 AAngelngel WWalkalk ppreprep bbegins,egins, PPageage 2 SSilverilver CCityity bbuildinguilding rrules,ules, PPageage 1100 2016 honoree selected; city council Historical appropriateness debate encourages cleanup participation still going as panel continues work VOL. 31, NO. 13 75 CENTS HOMEDALE, OWYHEE COUNTY, IDAHO WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 2016 Irrigation allotment set at 3.0 acre-feet, nearly double 2015 a smaller crowd than last year Tentative South when continuing drought concerns Board turn-on triggered growers’ worries. “Water takes care of a lot of is April 11 things. We have a little different crowd than last year,” South Officials announced the Board of Control chair Chris Easter festivities tentative allotment for the 2016 Landa said as he opened last attract hundreds growing season during the South Wednesday’s meeting. Holy Week ended with Board of Control water users Irrigators in the new Gem and several events in and meeting. Ridgeview districts will have around Owyhee County that The annual meeting at the Owyheeans enjoyed. Homedale Senior Center attracted –– See Irrigation, page 5 The events also included the Owyhee County Historical Society spring bazaar and Murphy-Reynolds-Wilson chili cook-off in Murphy. Top: Marsing First Church of the Nazarene pastor Bill O’Connor said about 1,000 people turned out for Sunday’s Lizard Butte Sunrise Service. Photo by Bill O’Connor. Right: The Homedale Chamber of Commerce Easter egg hunt was one of at least seven such South Board Div. 3 director Dennis Turner, center, tries to make a point activities that took place Friday during a sometimes-heated discussion about the 17.7 lateral project as and Saturday in Malheur and fellow South Board directors, from left, Rick Smith (Div. 1), Ryan Criffi eld Owyhee counties. Emma (Div. 4, vice-chair) and Chris Landa (Div. 5, chair) look on. Cooper, daughter of Dusty and Kalynn Cooper, was decked out in Easter attire as she checked Marsing school bond her eggs during the Homedale hunt at Sundance Park. Photo by Gregg Garrett open house Thursday See more photos throughout Marsing school patrons have gatherings will be held in the this issue the chance to give input on a school district cafeteria on 8th proposed bond election. Avenue West. Once school trustees receive A telephone survey to gauge Student fi lmmaker chronicles Soda Fire feedback, they could vote to how community members feel place a measure on the Aug. 30 about the bond proposal is “Voices of Fire” could be entered in Boise festival ballot. currently being conducted. The When the Soda Fire swept State University, was working as into the area. The fi rst of three open houses calls to a random sampling of across 280,000 acres, primarily in a research assistant for principal Sindelar and Lohse were asked to gauge public opinion will Marsing residents will continue Owyhee County, it sparked a fi lm investigator Dr. Kathleen Lohse at to leave the U.S. Department be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday. to be made until April 8. student’s second-year project. the Reynolds Creek Critical Zone of Agriculture Reynolds Creek Other meetings are planned for If a bond is sought and Hugo Sindelar, who is seeking Observatory in August when the 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 21 a master’s degree from Montana lighting-caused wildfi re spread –– See Fire, page 4 and Thursday, May 5. All three –– See Bond, page 5 Subscribe today Honor roll 6Sports 14-16 Get the news source of the Owyhees delivered Calendar 7Looking Back 19 IInsidenside directly to you each Wednesday Avalanche at 150 7 Commentary 20-21 Only $31.80 in Owyhee County Marsing FFA Call 337-4681 U of I Extension 7 Legals 22 auction Friday Weather/water 9Classifi eds 23 Page 13 Page 2 Wednesday, March 30, 2016 Angel Walk honoree Homedale council eyes spring selection complete cleaning ahead of Angel Walk The Angel Walk 2016 honoree adopt. While they were in Texas, was selected last week. though, Mandy discovered she Community “There’ll be a whole host of city The city council also discussed Jonah Kissell, a 6-year-old liv- was pregnant with Jonah. They employees out there this year. The seeing more utilization of the ing with Noonan’s Syndrome, and adopted Noah and then a couple involvement more the merrier.” Riverside Park facilities this his family will benefi t from pro- years later, they welcomed Emma, Eidemiller would like to see spring and summer, including ceeds from the May 7 5-kilometer who is Noah’s full biological sis- urged next month another “signifi cant” section of the disc golf course and the open fun run and classic car show. ter, into the family. the riverfront cleaned this year, space. Jonah lives in Caldwell with Jonah has had more than 20 With the annual Angel Walk and Mayor Gheen Christoffersen Councilman Jerry Anderson his parents, Tony and Mandy, and surgical procedures in his short looming, city leaders turned asked city public works supervisor pointed out that the recently his siblings, 8-year-old Noah and life, three of which were open their attention to Homedale’s Bret Smith to have his crew approved free lunch for children 6-year-old Emma. heart surgeries. When he was 18 beautifi cation Thursday. grade the road shoulder along ages 1-18 that will be served this “Mandy said that Jonah being months old, a large tumor pressing A brief city council meeting Riverside Avenue and other summer near the swimming pool chosen for the Angel Walk is the on his aortic valve had to be par- was dominated by a discussion areas on the Angel Walk route to could encourage usage of the park silver lining of all their trials with tially removed. When the tumor about the sixth annual 5-kilometer ensure a smooth surface for the facilities. Jonah,” the selection committee grew back a year and a half later, fun run, walk and youth biking participants, who often fan out on Meanwhile, the city swimming said in a press release. “They doctors were forced to remove the event, which in recent years has the roadway as they make their pool staff is nearly in place. were very emotional and felt so tumor and replace his aortic valve. included a classic car show. way through town. Pegram said that some of the humbled that this community During his last surgery earlier this In each of the past two years, The city crew also will try prospective lifeguards already would support them.” month, a mechanical mitral valve city employees and elected to do pick up in the alleyways have received certifi cation, much Noonan’s Syndrome is an au- was placed. This confused the officials have used the Angel during the two Saturdays of the to Christoffersen’s relief. tosomal dominant congenital electrical conduction in his heart, Walk as a catalyst to clean streets community cleanup. “I don’t think we will run into disorder that causes congenital so doctors operated to give Jonah and alleyways and encourage Traditionally, residents have the snag that we did last year,” heart defects, short stature, learn- a pacemaker a few days later. residents to participate in a been encouraged to use the time to the mayor said, referring to the ing problems, webbed neck and Through his family’s journey citywide cleanup. do some spring cleaning on their diffi culty the city had in getting a fl at nose bridge. Jonah also has with Jonah, the young boy’s fa- The community cleanup will private property, too. an adequate amount of certifi ed scoliosis and is deaf, although his ther, Tony, has been inspired to take place this year on April 23 Eidemiller said that the cleanup lifeguards as well as offering cochlear implants have worked return to school and study to be and April 30, the two Saturdays campaigns of recent years have swimming lessons to the city’s well and he is able to say a few a social worker. He expects to before the May 7 fun run and car done wonders for the appearance youth. words. graduate in the spring of 2017. show that benefi ts the Angel Walk of the town. Pegram said many of the Jonah’s mother, Mandy, calls These days, Tony attends school pediatric medical fund. “We’re heads and tails above prospective 2016 employees him their miracle baby. full-time and works part-time “We’d like all the participation last year as far as how clean the already have certification in Unable to conceive, Mandy doing drug testing for Canyon we can get from the citizens,” town looks,” Eidemiller said. giving swimming lessons. and Tony traveled to Texas to County. Police Chief Jeff Eidemiller said. The general appearance of town The swimming pool walls will also includes reducing the number have to be repaired before the of at-large dogs and poultry on the pool opens, Smith said, because DOG GROOMING city’s residential streets. the surface has deteriorating $ 50 City clerk and treasurer Alice in the few years since it was SMALL DOGS just 27 Have a Pegram said that residents have refurbished. Free Pickup and Delivery for Local Senior Citizens purchased 165 dog tags and nine The public swimming season news tip? chicken coop registrations for usually begins after the end of WESERVING BARTER! 2016. Eidemiller hinted that city the school year, and Smith said Rub-A-Dub Dog YOUR PETS code enforcement offi cer Harvey the repairs would have to be SINCEDROP-INS 2011 Call us! Where Happiness is a Clean Dog WELCOME!DROP-INS Gist will begin specifi c patrols completed once water can be left WELCOME! aimed at unlicensed canines now in the pool without the danger of 208-249-0799 Credit Cards 102 E.