59 / 35 DOWN TO Twin Falls volleyball THE WIRE team keeps rolling Twins beat Tigers 6-5 in 12 Partly cloudy. to win division, SPORTS 1 Bruins beat Canyon Ridge Riverhawks, stay perfect in conference play, SPORTS 1 BUSINESS 4 SWEET START >>> CSI launches Baking and Pastry program, FOOD 1 WEDNESDAY 75 CENTS October 7, 2009 MagicValley.com Attorneys deliver A giant in the earth opening arguments in Aragon trial By Andrea Jackson suffered hypothermia. Times-News writer Sage, 11, died. Prosecutor E. Scott Paul SHOSHONE — Robert told the mostly female jury Aragon’s trial in the of 12, which was picked hypothermia death last Tuesday after two days of year of his daughter Sage selection, that Aragon, 56, moved forward Tuesday in did not protect his chil- a Lincoln County court- dren. room with opening argu- “He risked them and one ments in the involuntary of them died,” said Paul. manslaughter case. Sage was “basically cov- Aragon, a grandfather, is ered by snow” and wearing also accused of injury to a pajama pants when child because authorities searchers found her body. say he let his two children The children told their walk alone in freezing father — who worked weather to see their mom spreading manure to sup- on Christmas Day after port the family — that they their car broke down on wanted to see their mom West Magic Road. Aragon’s then 12-year-old son, Bear, See ARAGON, Main 2 Photos by ASHLEY SMITH/Times-News Agencies say dairy Rhonda Weakland, a groundwater hydrologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, measures the depth of the aquifer that runs under the Wood River Valley near Bellevue on Tuesday. The USGS team is spending two weeks completing the measurements of the aquifer in the valley. ammonia program Wood River aquifer study enters is back on track next phase, measuring depth By Nate Poppino It’s a joint operation Times-News writer where the Idaho State By Nate Poppino Department of Agriculture Times-News writer Magicvalley.com Officials at two Idaho conducts inspections and WATCH an interview with agencies that run an submits an annual report to BELLEVUE — Rhonda Weakland James Bartolino. ammonia-tracking pro- the Idaho Department of carefully placed the seismometer on gram say the reporting sys- Environmental Quality, the dirt next to a field south of tem that measures its which also handles Bellevue. ON THE WEB effectiveness has greatly enforcement in severe A GPS unit joined it on the ground, improved, fixing problems cases. But the program’s with both plugged into a laptop. Then Wood River Valley study and other USGS that cropped up in 2007 second year was marred by Weakland sat back to once again watch projects: http://id.water.usgs.gov/projects and 2008. computer and inspection the data roll in for half an hour. The program, started in problems that kept ISDA Both Weakland and James Bartolino, used to seek out seismic events so 2006, targets dairies that from submitting a com- groundwater hydrologists with the much as document their absence, a emit more than 100 tons of plete report in April 2008. U.S. Geological Survey, will do a lot of technique new enough that the Blaine The seismometer used in the study. the chemical each year, Agriculture officials waiting over the next two weeks. The County work is a pilot project. By using modeling to estimate worked last year to fix their two are part of a team led by Bartolino, measuring the background vibrations expect to find anything quite as deep as their ammonia emissions computers and make the district groundwater specialist, — “white noise,”as the scientists refer the latter. The study will likely incor- and then requiring a certain inspections more uniform. which is measuring the depth of the to it — and filtering them through a porate measurements from about 100 number of best-manage- ISDA again tweaked its aquifer lying under the Wood River computer, the researchers can calcu- points across the valley, including ment practices be put in Valley. late the depth of the bedrock that some side canyons. place as mitigation. See DAIRIES, Main 2 Their portable seismometer is the marks the bottom of the aquifer. “Nobody really knows how thick the same type used by scientists around That bedrock could lie anywhere aquifer is out here,”he said. Magicvalley.com the globe to track earthquakes, from 30 to 1,000 feet deep in theory, Bartolino said. Here, the device isn’t Bartolino said, though he doesn’t See AQUIFER, Main 2 READ the latest ISDA ammonia report. Raft River schools struggle County Republicans may back to clean up bacteria in water candidate in city council race By Laurie Welch By Ben Botkin Times-News writer “The teachers told the students to bring Times-News writer “We feel like the voters need to be informed, a water bottle if they were thirsty but they and we may choose not to endorse anybody. MALTA — For more than The Twin Falls County 300 students at schools in didn’t tell us the water was contaminated. Republican Central That just remains to be seen.” Malta, drinking fountains That’s why I’m furious.” Committee may make — Gretchen Clelland, chairwoman of the Twin Falls shrouded in black plastic endorsements in the city’s County Republican Central Committee garbage bags and signs — Jaylin Harper, who has four children at the two schools contested council race, a warning them not to drink move that could add a new “A lot of politicians get Greg Lanting. Lanting is the water have become a has been a problem for this would not be happen- dimension to city elections their start at the local city running for re-election regular sight. years. ing.” this November as voters level and that kind of gives against three challengers: Students at Raft River “The teachers told the Harper said all of her decide how to cast ballots. people a better chance to Chris Talkington, Jim Elementary School and Raft students to bring a water children have experienced While Twin Falls city know somebody for their Schouten and Steve Garner. River High School are mak- bottle if they were thirsty upset stomachs that races, like other city races, whole career,”she said. After the candidates give ing do with bottled water but they didn’t tell us the include cramps and don’t identify candidates by The committee hasn’t opening statements, they’ll after tests revealed the water was contaminated. “strange, greasy diarrhea.” party on the ballot, endorse- made any endorsements yet. take questions from the presence of coliform bacte- That’s why I’m furious,” “I invite the school board ments can still play a role in There will be a forum on audience, including the ria again last week. Harper said.“Even so, there and health district to come keeping voters informed, Oct. 14 at 7 p.m. at Hemple- public and precinct chairs of Parent Jaylin Harper,who is still a big issue with the out and have lunch and said Gretchen Clelland, man County Building in the Twin Falls County has four children ages 7 to 15 kids washing their hands in drink the water, even when chairwoman of the Twin Twin Falls for the four can- Republican organization. who attend the two schools, it and showering after P.E. Falls County Republican didates for the Twin Falls said contaminated water If this was Burley or Declo See COLIFORM, Main 2 Central Committee. City Council seat held by See GOP, Main 2 Bridge ..............Classifieds 6 Crossword ......Classifieds 3 Obituaries..................Food 8 Comics ......................Food 6 Dear Abby........Classifieds 4 Opinion ......................Main 6 TROOP STRENGTH STILL UP IN THE AIR Commodities ......Business 2 Jumble ............Classifieds 5 Sudoku ............Classifieds 7 Obama offers no clues on Afghanistan > FOOD 7 The Haunted Mansions of Albion at Campus Grove Weekend Booking Lodging OPEN EVERY FRIDAY AND SATURDAY TILL HALLOWEEN Halloween Available! 7:00 PM - MIDNIGHT • (208) 430-6430 Parties! MORNINGMORNINGMain 2 Wednesday, October 7, 2009 BRIEFINGBRIEF- TN Times-News, Twin Falls, Idaho Pat’s Picks TODAY’S HAPPENINGS Three things to do today ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT Magic Valley Arts Council’s La Galeria Chapter of Twin Falls, weigh ins, 4:30 to Idaho Old Time Fiddlers Association jammin’ Pequena, 132 Main Ave. S., Main Street 5:20 p.m. and meeting, 5:30 to 6 p.m., The Pat Marcantonio for the public, accoustic only, 6 to 8 p.m., Plaza, Twin Falls, free admission, 734-2787 Church of Christ, 2002 Filer Ave. E., (corner or Magicvalleyartscouncil.org. of Sunrise Street and Filer Avenue), 736- • A tale of love and betray- ing for the CSI Pep Band to followed by monthly meeting, Idaho Pizza Co., 1859 Kimberly Road, Twin Falls, open to Leo and Jennie Lortz’ First Art Show, water- 9282. al: The College of Southern play during basketball color and oil paintings, noon to 5 p.m., The TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) ID No. 388 Idaho Theater Department games. Woodwind, brass, the public and prospective members, 420- 3345. Eighth Street Center, 200 N. Eighth St., Chapter of Malta, a weight-loss support presents Shakespeare’s pow- percussion and keyboard Buhl, no cost, 543-5417. group, 5:30 p.m., Raft River Electric Board erful “Othello” at 8 p.m. at musicians are needed. College of Southern Idaho Pep Band audi- tions, for woodwind, brass, percussion, bass room, 155 N. Main St., 208-645-2438. the Fine Arts Theater, 315 Reserve an audition by con- Centering Prayer, non-denominational con- Falls Ave., Twin Falls. tacting Steve Cox, 490-1515 and keyboard musicians to play with the GOVERNMENT band during basketball games this year, 7 to templative practice with continuing “A Tickets start at $8.