Childhood days spark Marsing grad’s career, Page 10 BLM could release records, Page 2 Prep basketball, Page 11 Ranchers’ addresses could go public Huskies win own tournament Established 1865 VOL. 26, NO. 1 75 CENTS HOMEDALE, OWYHEE COUNTY, IDAHO WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2011 New commissioners take office Monday Two commissioners-elect take the oath of office Monday in Murphy. Kelly Aberasturi for District 2 and Joe Merrick for District 3 will begin their terms after a 10 a.m. ceremony in Courtroom 2 of the Owyhee County Courthouse, 20381 State Hwy. 78. Aberasturi starts a four-year term, succeeding fellow Homedale resident George Hyer. A Grand View resident, Merrick will serve two years in succession of Murphy’s Dick Freund. Also taking the oath of office to begin new Kelly Abersaturi four-year terms are Clerk Charlotte Sherburn, District 2 Treasurer Brenda Richards, Assessor Brett Endicott and Coroner Harvey Grimme. The four are incumbents, with only Sherburn seeing a challenge in last year’s Republican primary from Marsing resident Debbie Titus. After the swearing-in ceremony, the Board of County Commissioners reorganization takes place, including the election of a new board chair. District 1 Commissioner Jerry Hoagland New safety signs in a new year (R-Wilson) has been chairman of the board for Motorists line up as they wait for Homedale High School students to clear the crosswalk on Monday the past two years. afternoon. The crosswalk is one of two spanning East Idaho Avenue for which city crews installed Hoagland is the only BOCC holdover and is Joe Merrick safety signs last month to enhance pedestrian safety around the school. up for re-election in 2012. District 3 Disaster Auction Property owners to appeal steams toward golden P&Z’s wrecking yard decision Developer says salvage southwest of members Clay Atkins and Jeff anniversary event Christoffersen were in favor of Homedale could create six jobs; foes the development. Dan Landa and Help sought eighth grades. Auction committee Martin Jaca, both of whom were members and area businesses will have traffic, safety concerns in their final month on the board, on historic list sell the $10 raffle tickets. voted against awarding the CUP. The auction will start at 10:13 Concerned citizens will appeal values and take prime agricultural Appeals to the decision can be of chairmen a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 5 at the a county decision to allow an land out of service. filed at the Planning and Zoning Phipps-Watson Marsing American auto salvage yard southwest of The Owyhee County Planning Department’s Murphy office until Tickets for the raffle associated Legion Community Center. Homedale. and Zoning Commission last 5 p.m. today. The county charges a with the annual Marsing Disaster Contact committee members Developer Sean Farwell has said month narrowly approved a $3,000 fee to file an appeal. Auction go on sale next week, Deb Holzhey (573-3659) or the project to be located near the conditional use permit for Farwell After meeting Thursday night, and organizers continue to accept Pete Smit (863-8742) or e-mail corner of Market and Homestead to establish a wrecking yard on 14 neighboring land owners decided donations of items for the raffle marsingdisasterauction@gmail. roads will create about six full- acres in a multi-use zone 1½ miles to file an appeal, according to a as well as the 50th anniversary com to donate to the raffle or time jobs. Opponents stated in a southwest of Homedale. property owner who hosted the auction. auction. Dec. 1 hearing that the operation Nine days after the hearing meeting but wished to remain As always, $1 raffle tickets Auction organizers also are will create a safety hazard by in Murphy, the P&Z voted 3-2 anonymous. The property owner will be available through Marsing increasing traffic and also will to allow Farwell’s CUP. P&Z schoolchildren in the fifth through –– See Auction, page 9 have a negative impact on land chair Connie Brandau and –– See Salvage, page 5 Subscribe today Water report 3Sports 11-14 Get the news source of the Owyhees delivered Church directory 5 Looking Back 15 Inside directly to you each Wednesday School menus 6Commentary 16-17 Only $31.80 in Owyhee County Sports year Call 337-4681 Calendar 7Legals 18 in review Peary Perry 7Classifieds 19 Pages 11-14 Page 2 Wednesday, January 5, 2011 BLM may release ranchers’ addresses to comply with law however, we believe as long as “We continue to adamantly PLC helping it is in line with what the Forest oppose any release of proprietary permittees get Service already does with regard information or personal informa- to permittee information we can tion of our members, including P.O. boxes accept it.” details on operation size/income/ Forest Service permit informa- revenue/expenses or other infor- The federal government is tak- tion doesn’t include any specific mation which is not otherwise re- ing public comment through Feb. financial or business operation quired by the narrow court order,” 7 on a plan to release the mailing information about permittees. Van Liew said. addresses of nearly 18,000 ranch- Van Liew, who is also the fed- If public comment doesn’t alter ers who have grazing permits eral lands director for the National the BLM’s amendment, the new and leases on Bureau of Land Cattlemen’s Beef Association, policy will take effect after the Management holdings. said the PLC has been working 40-day public comment period The BLM published a notice of to ensure that permittees have ends on Feb. 7. amendment regarding its existing “ample time” to obtain post office Comments on the amendment system of records in the Dec. 29 boxes for their correspondence can be submitted in writing to Federal Register. A September with the BLM to ensure personal BLM Privacy Office, 1849 C ruling by U.S. District Court for addresses aren’t released. Street, N.W., Room 725 LS, Idaho Judge Candy Dale triggered Unless public comment reveals Washington, D.C. 20240. E- the change in agency policy re- reasons to do otherwise, the BLM mailed comments should be sent garding the handling of personal will begin posting on a public Web to [email protected]. The entire Smorgasbord tickets on sale information. Dale’s decision came site reports that will include the of- content of submitted comments, Artwork by Homedale Elementary School fourth-grader Sophie in connection with a lawsuit filed ficial mailing addresses of nearly including a commenter’s personal Nash will grace posters advertising the 50th and final Homedale by environmental groups. 18,000 federal lands ranchers. identifying information, may be International Smorgasbord. Homedale sixth-graders continue to “We were aware of BLM’s Personal telephone numbers and made publicly available at any sell tickets to the Feb. 12 fundraiser. Prices are $30 for a family direction in making public the ad- financial information will not be time. ticket, $8 for adults, $6 for senior citizens, $5 for kindergarteners dresses of federal land permittees available on the Internet, according For more information, contact through sixth-graders and $3 for preschoolers. and have been involved with the to a BLM press release announcing Robert Roudabush, Division process to minimize any impact the public comment period. Chief, Rangeland Resources, Bu- on our members,” Public Lands The change is the BLM’s at- reau of Land Management, 1849 Council executive director Dustin tempt to balance mandates from C Street, N.W., Room 201 LS, County to accept 911 Van Liew said. “While we under- the Freedom of Information Act Washington, D.C. 20240; phone stand this action is in response to of 1966 and the Privacy Act of number: 202-912-7222; e-mail: proposals until Feb. 11 the court order, it is an annoyance; 1974. [email protected]. be opened at 10 a.m. on Monday, Contractor for Feb. 11, during the BOCC meet- new system to be ing. The contract will be awarded START THE NEW YEAR RIGHT BY SAVING MONEY! tabbed by April 5 by April 5. Hoagland said the timeline dif- Prospective vendors have un- ferent than what was in the sher- til Feb. 11 to send proposals to iff’s RFB was created to allow Owyhee County regarding a new enough time for on-site demon- 911 dispatch system. strations by prospective vendors. County commissioners ap- The District 1 commissioner proved issue of a revised request said visits from vendors would for bids last month after Sheriff help ensure that dispatchers and Daryl Crandall unilaterally pub- others who must use the system lished an RFB on Dec. 1 and will be satisfied with the product Dec. 8. before the county spends any of its “We’ve put the timeline farther $246,323 Idaho Emergency Com- out to fit more with what the 911 munications Commission grant. THROUGHOUT THE STORE! committee had recommended,” “It has to work for them,” Board of County Commissioners Hoagland said. “If it’s going to Hurry in for best selection! chair Jerry Hoagland said of revi- be something that’s not going to sions made to the sheriff’s RFB. be user-friendly, we shouldn’t We’re clearing out our inventory to The District 1 commissioner also consider that. said that Crandall’s request was “The property is the commis- make room for new merchandise! based on the narrow RFB sent sioners’ responsibility. We have out by the county last year in an to take the recommendation of the attempt to shape its subsequent people who are going to use it, but 3;P?IH We appreciate your grant application.