Established 1865 VOL. 30, NO. 33 75 CENTS HOMEDALE, OWYHEE COUNTY, IDAHO WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015 Turning wasteland back to rangeland • Cattlemen face long recovery • Community rallies to help • Entire allotments incinerated • Governor declares disaster Above: Idaho Lt. Gov. Brad Little stands amid the charred remains of Ed and Debbie Wilsey’s rangeland during a Saturday tour. Left: Range beyond the ION overlook on U.S. Highway 95 burns last Wednesday. Photo by Sarah Grossman / Freeze the Day Photography PLC blames scope of Soda Fire on federal resource mismanagement Two ranchers stood in the and forth across U.S. Highway stood unharmed while the hill middle of a wasteland, searching 95. just below was barren and black for answers in the wake of the “It’s not even smoldering,” after being overrun by a fi re that nation’s largest wildfi re. Little said. “That tells you how burned so hot that it scorched Ed Wilsey, who lost a vast hot the fi re was burning. Usually the pavement as it blew across swath of his 11,000 acres of some hay is left to smolder.” U.S. 95. grazing land to the Soda Fire, took Along a fi rebreak road on the Wilsey said the remaining Lt. Gov. Brad Little on a tour of trip back to the Wilseys’ home viable forage is a testament to his deeded ground and Bureau just off milepost 5, several rolls what livestock grazing can do for of Land Management allotment of hay stored far longer than the the resource. He put cows on the Saturday. ashen pile stood unscathed even top half of the hill longer than he The two men jostled around in though the flames had raced let them graze the bottom half, Wilsey’s Ford pickup, surveying Rancher Ed Wilsey said grazing practices are a big reason he still around the drying forage and and now his cattle — what’s left of scorched earth that now seems has some forage on his range near the Oregon border. wiped out sagebrush, bitterbrush them — will still have something better suited for a re-creation of a They passed a pile of ashes that his crew had made just days and blue bunch wheatgrass on to eat other than the hay. moon landing than supporting Ed Little was stunned to discover before wind-swept fl ames roared either side. The contrast between the and Debbie Wilsey’s lifeblood — was the black-and-gray remnants across his ground on the way to a Elsewhere, a nearly pristine cattle ranching. of a hay cutting that Wilsey and pyrotechnic ping-pong dance back patch of sagebrush and grasses –– See Fire, page 5 More photos, 12 • Ways to get help, 13 • Soda Fire by the numbers, 13 • Hunting not affected, 14 SBOC water could dry up any day Homedale mayor forced still looking at about the same Final date may be extended to Aug. 28 dates.” to OK his own pay raise There could be only a few year he shut the gates on Aug. All he can say for certain is that come January. days left in the irrigation season 23. the shutoff will happen sometime Christoffersen Christoffersen broke a 2-2 for the Homedale-Marsing area. “I’m going to be really close between today and Aug. 28. stalemate to pass the ordinance th breaks deadlock South Board of Control to that, the 24 is a Monday, “Right now my bingo number that authorizes a 24 percent in- th (SBOC) watermaster John Eells and I generally don’t like to shut is the 20 , but as the elevations Homedale Mayor Gheen crease in his salary at the start of thinks he may not have to close them down on a weekend,” Eells Christoffersen cast the decisive the season until Aug. 28, and last said. “So my problem is that I’m –– See Water, page 4 vote that could give him a raise –– See Raise, page 4 Subscribe today Weather 4Sports 15-16 Get the news source of the Owyhees delivered Obituaries 6Looking Back 17 IInsidenside directly to you each Wednesday Calendar 7Commentary 18-19 Only $31.80 in Owyhee County Marsing to seek Call 337-4681 Avalanche at 150 7 Legals 20-22 OCSO pact again U of I Extension 7 Classifi eds 22-23 Page 2 Page 2 Wednesday, August 19, 2015 Marsing ready to tackle OCSO contract again The Marsing City Council has However, on Monday, Grant approved a plan to spend $35,000 said he hadn’t seen any paperwork for a new law enforcement from the city regarding the law agreement with the Owyhee enforcement proposal and, County Sheriff’s Offi ce. therefore, isn’t sure what the fi nal The council signed off on the contract might entail. spending proposal during its joint He did say that he will not have public budget hearing and monthly to hire an additional deputy for meeting last Wednesday. the extra work in Marsing. Grant The city will use $15,000 from expects to see some paperwork a law enforcement line in the FY from Marsing city leaders in the 2016 budget, and the rest of the next week or so, and at that time Plastic orange fencing is in place at Island Park to prevent material for trickling into the Snake River money will come from the general he could be able to provide more when parking lot paving begins. The portable restrooms also will disappear in the fi rst phase of work. fund account. information about the proposal. Mayor Keith Green and the This is the latest chapter in council are hoping to strike a the city’s ongoing attempt to Park’s $470K renovation nears deal to provide compensation for get dedicated law enforcement The overall improvements at a deputy to work 40 hours a week coverage. Expect closures with Island Park Island Park — which will also during the summer months and An attempt to get a contract work in Marsing include a renovated boat dock — winter school break. worked out in 2014 fell apart will cost an estimated $470,148, If the city and Sheriff Perry after county Prosecuting Attorney A renovation project will start ¾-inch road mix, Woodruff said. and Woodruff told the council Grant can agree to terms, and the Douglas D. Emery raised concerns soon at Marsing’s Island Park The design will include the project will be completed Board of County Commissioners about an increased workload along the Snake River. additional parking spots on both sometime late in the summer of signs off on the contract, the and costs for his offi ce without City engineer Amy Woodruff the south and north sides of the 2016. funding for the additional staffi ng compensation. The city’s original gave the town’s leaders an park. The paving work will also Funding for the dock on the would be effective on Oct. 1, or $15,000 offer was countered update on the work during involve new striping. north side of the bridge will come the beginning of the next fi scal by a $72,000 price tag from the last Wednesday’s city council New modular restrooms for from a $300,000 grant from the year. county. meeting. the south side of the park will be Idaho Department of Parks and The city actually cancelled the Recreation. New signage also will For FAST results... “The park is going to be closed delivered in mid-October. The contract when a deal couldn’t at certain times. The north area is restroom and repaving project is be installed in the park. try the be reached with the sheriff’s going to be probably especially being paid for with a $124,909 Work on the dock will not begin Classifieds! office during Daryl Crandall’s impacted,” Woodruff said. “We’re grant from the U.S. Department of until next year. The city will have administration. going to work with the contractor Agriculture Rural Development. to rebid the project so it is unclear — SC as much as possible to make sure The restrooms will cost $60,167, how much the city might have to that the dock is open on weekends City Clerk Janice Bicandi said. pay to match the grant money. and that type of access is unfettered The city will pay a 45 percent Playground equipment at the Bottled Water as much as possible.” match of $56,000, which will also park was recently removed to be People coming into town over fi nance the paving work. powder-coated at a cost of $1,000. It Just Tastes Better! the Snake River will notice orange “In short, there will be a lot of It will be relocated farther away 5 gallon bottles delivered to your door fencing in front of the park along work there in the next 60 days or from the parking area than where FIRST 2 BOTTLES FREE both sides of the bridge. The so,” Woodruff said. it previously was. During the No deposit, No contract, No delivery or fuel fees temporary plastic material has The city’s parks budget line for council meeting, Mayor Keith been installed to prevent soil the next fi scal year is $175,000. Green said the powder-coating sediment from falling into the The city’s budget for FY 2016 was funding will come from the city’s river while re-paving work is approved during the city council general fund. 208 377-2163 being done in the park. meeting after a hearing the saw no The pavement will involve a public comment.