Established 1865 TTourneyourney ttimeime fforor llocalocal LLegionegion tteams,eams, SSportsports FFairair aandnd RRodeoodeo qqueen,ueen, PPageage 33AA OOnene bbriefrief eevacuation,vacuation, PPageage 22AA One Owyheean among four Local, BLM fi refi ghters knock candidates for 2013-14 crown down wildfi res near Murphy VOL. 28, NO. 29 75 CENTS HOMEDALE, OWYHEE COUNTY, IDAHO WEDNESDAY, JULY 24, 2013 Inside this week OWYHEE CATTLEMEN 135 TH ANNUAL CONVENTION AT SILVER C S ITY ATURDAY, JULY 27, 2013 Section B July 24, 2013 The Owyhee Reservoir water level is low enough to expose a good portion of the glory hole near the dam. Photo by Lori Bahem Water managers hope State Farm Bureau chief making trip to to hold on ’til September Silver City Saturday High heat, low water may shorten to get producers very far past September. Cattlemen gather Priestley delivery season for some growers “Our goal, in all frankness, is expected is to try to get to the first for 135th summer to delve into A hot, dry summer has added percent cut in water allotment of September,” Owyhee several key to the uncertainty for irrigators at the beginning of the growing Irrigation District manager Jay meeting topics, in- who rely on South Board of season. Chamberlin said. cluding estate Control water. But even with decreasing The joint board of the Owyhee The future of the ranching tax, general The Owyhee Project, of which allotments from four feet per Project, which includes the industry and of family ranches in federal tax Gem and Ridgeview Irrigation acre to three feet per acre, Owyhee County will be among code changes districts are part, instituted a 25 there may not be enough water –– See Water, page 8A the topics tackled Saturday at the and the Farm Owyhee Cattlemen’s Associa- Bill. Frank Priestley tion’s summer meeting. Ranchers The 135th annual meeting be- are especially keen to hear about West Nile found in Givens mosquitoes gins at 9 a.m. with registration. estate taxes because any change in “It is most likely only a matter of time until we The business meeting will start the policy could affect a family’s SWDH issues precautions start seeing human cases in this area,” SWDH 30 minutes later inside the historic ranch succession plans. Health officials are asking Owyhee County director of environmental health services David Silver City Schoolhouse. During the afternoon session residents to take precautions after mosquito pools Loper said. “Anyone bitten by an infected mosquito Franklin dairy farmer Frank of Saturday’s meeting, the cattle- in the Givens area tested positive for West Nile is at risk for the West Nile Virus (WNV), so now Priestley, who is in the midst of men will elect a couple new Virus. is the time to take precautions to protect yourself his eighth term as Idaho Farm board members and Oreana angus No human cases have been reported yet, Southwest Bureau Federation president, will District Health said in a press release. –– See Mosquitoes, page 8A serve as the guest speaker. –– See Saturday, page 8A Subscribe today OCA edition 1-32B Sports 10-11A Get the news source of the Owyhees delivered Weather 4A Looking Back 13A IInsidenside directly to you each Wednesday Calendar 6A Commentary 14-15A Only $31.80 in Owyhee County Idaho 78 Call 337-4681 Then and Now 6A Legals 16-17A CDR photos Obituary 7A Classifi eds 18-19A Page 12A Page 2A Wednesday, July 24, 2013 County landfi ll will close Monday Monday is the final day of (at the Amalgamated Sugar Co. operation for Owyhee County’s beet dump), Bruneau, and Indian landfi ll. Cove. The Board of County Commis- The BOCC also has contracted sioners made the announcement with Snake River Rubbish out of regarding the Bruneau-Grand Glenns Ferry to haul trash from View Landfi ll after their weekly the drop box locations to an out- meeting Monday. of-county landfi ll. Republic Waste Kent Kohring, who owns the Services will end its solid waste 40-acre parcel on which the contract with the county Monday landfi ll is located, has decided to when crews make their last haul end his lease agreement with the to the landfi ll. county when the 10-year term The closure of the landfi ll gives ends. the county ample time to complete County citizens who currently closure procedures required by use the landfi ll will be able to the Idaho Department of Envi- dispose of household waste at ronmental Quality and Southwest fi ve rural drop box sites located District Health before the lease Murphy, Oreana, Grand View expires. Nampa man sentenced for DUI A Nampa man served four credit for four days served in days in jail and was placed on county jail. Grober suspended the probation for driving under the balance of a six-month jail term infl uence. and suspended Saucedo-Lechuga’s Magistrate Judge Dan C. Grob- driving privileges for 180 days. er sentenced Ricardo Saucedo- County prosecutor Douglas D. Lechuga on July 15 in an Owyhee Emery dropped a misdemeanor County courtroom in Murphy. charging Saucedo-Lechuga with Saucedo-Lechuga, who was failure to purchase a driver’s The view across Karen Steenhof’s yard was a smoky one last week as the Sunk Fire burned outside of born in 1971, was arrested June license or driving with an invalid Murphy. Submitted photo 8 by Owyhee County Sheriff’s document. Deputy Terry McGrew. No fi nes or fees were listed on The man’s sentence included the disposition. Crews quell two fi res sparked Fire banned at some by lightning near Murphy within a mile of her property. friends. Largest fi re “Fortunately the wind shifted Steenhof moved her horses in C.J. Strike camp sites started in Moore’s and went to the west and she was preparation for the evacuation. Depending on what campground of the Hells Canyon area. allowed back in once they got the She said her 90-year-old mother they pick, recreationalists may not At C.J. Strike, fires are Creek Canyon dozer line around her side (of the was visiting from Maine at the be able to build a fi re at C.J. Strike prohibited in the North Park RV fi re),” Bowman said. time of the fi re. Reservoir. site and Cottonwood Park. Idaho Although authorities were Another area resident Karen The Brunn Fire, which sparked Citing dangerous conditions Powers has banned campfi res at ready for drastic measures, no Steenhof saw the fi re start. about fi ve miles west of the Sunk created by persistent hot, dry the Jacks Creek Recreation Area. evacuations were necessary last “We started hearing thunder Fire, burned only 48 acres and weather, Idaho Power announced At this time, fi res can be built week when wildfi res sparked near a little before 3 p.m. (July 16) was doused by Bureau of Land fire restrictions at some of its at the North Park tent area and Murphy. then saw smoke on Federal Butte Management crews quickly. recreation sites, including part of inside Scout and Locust parks, Afternoon lightning strikes about three or four miles away,” According to Mallory Eils the reservoir near Bruneau and all but offi cials urge extreme caution ignited two fires southwest of Steenhof wrote in an email. from the BLM Boise District, an when building fi res because of Murphy on July 16. Fire trucks were stationed at the agency helicopter and crew were The largest of the fi res — the corner of Steenhof’s property for able to knock down the advancing For FAST results... heightened fi re danger. The utility Sunk Fire — burned 2,129 acres protection purposes, but the fi re fl ames of the Brunn Fire quickly. try the also urges people to drive vehicles on approved roads only. before it was contained Thursday moved away from her place when The fi re was contained at 9 a.m. Classifieds! More restrictions could be night. the wind shifted. Additionally, fi re last Wednesday and controlled issued if conditions warrant. The fi re started in Moore’s Creek crews had established a dozer line several hours later. Canyon, and nearby residents on the northern perimeter of the The Sunk Fire burned six miles were on standby to evacuate. fi re to stop its advance toward southwest of Murphy and was VISIT OUR NEW Owyhee County Sheriff’s Chief private property. peskier than the Brunn Fire as Deputy Lynn Bowman said area “We got to see a spectacular air BLM firefighters and Murphy- ELECTRICAL resident Shirley Kroeger had show with two tankers dropping Reynolds-Wilson District SECTION FOR to leave her home for about six retardant on the fi re line on Federal volunteers found out. At one ALL YOUR HOME hours when it appeared the fi re got Butte,” she wrote in an email to point, 100 people, seven engines, three planes and two helicopters ELECTRICAL Bottled Water were out fi ghting the fl ames. Early NEEDS! in the battle, mutual aid was called It Just Tastes Better! in from Grand View and Melba in 4-H & FFA Discount 5 gallon bottles delivered to your door the form of brush trucks, Bowman FIRST 2 BOTTLES FREE said. on all Show Feeds! No deposit, No contract, No delivery or fuel fees Crews had a hard time gaining access to the fi re because of the lack of roads to the area. 025%44 Open 7:30 am - 6 pm Monday - Friday Suppression costs topped Lumber & Supply 8 am - 5 pm Saturday $100,000. 337-5588 208 377-2163 — JPB Wednesday, July 24, 2013 Page 3A Neighbors pitch in Madelynn Allen Miranda Wilkins The Homedale Fire Department arrives as neighbors stand by in case of fl ames during Saturday’s incident.