48 / 28 CROSS-VALLEY CONQUEST Big night for Twin Falls: Riverhawks, Bruins topple conference foes. See all the area high school football results, SPORTS 1 Sunny and dry. BUSINESS 4 WINDEX FOR THE SOUL >>> Hailey church restores historic stained glass windows, RELIGION 1 SATURDAY 75 CENTS October 10, 2009 MagicValley.com Survey ARAGON NOT GUILTY mix-up Questionnaire confuses Twin Falls with Sioux Falls By Ben Botkin Times-News writer The city of Twin Falls mistakenly crossed paths with Sioux Falls in a sur- vey that was sent this week to hundreds of Twin Falls residents. The end result was that nearly 700 Twin Falls households wound up getting asked a few ques- tions in a city-purchased survey about what they thought of the South Dakota city that also takes pride in its falls. The five-page survey, sent out by Boulder, Colo.-based National Research Center, Inc., had a couple of pages with survey questions labeled Sioux Falls and intended for the other Photos by MEAGAN THOMPSON/Times-News community. Robert Aragon leaves a Lincoln County courtroom Friday afternoon in Shoshone after being dismissed by Judge G. Richard Bevan. The jury deliberated for about two hours Friday The city of Twin Falls and acquitted Aragon of one count of involuntary manslaughter and one count of injury to a child, bringing to an end a 10-month saga that began on Christmas Day 2008 with the hired the firm in July to death of Aragon’s 11-year-old daughter, Sage. survey 1,200 households for input about city serv- ices such as police, parks and animal control. The Jury acquits him of daughter’s first round of surveys was sent out with no errors, but the second batch hypothermia death, son’s injury contained the questions about Sioux Falls. By Andrea Jackson vived by taking shelter in a public Times-News writer restroom. See SNAFU, Main 2 Acquitted, Aragon, 56, of Jerome, SHOSHONE — Robert Aragon’s hugged his lawyer, walked down a decision on Christmas to let his chil- flight of stairs with his family and left dren walk in snowy weather ended in the trial behind. He told the Times- his daughter’s death, but won’t cost News he had nothing to say. Water users him his freedom. The jury took about two hours to A jury unanimously decided Friday come to their decision Friday in a trial debate after a weeklong trial in Lincoln that has attracted national attention. County that Aragon was not guilty of But Aragon’s lawyer, Patrick charges of involuntary manslaughter McMillen, covered some bases dur- merits of and injury to a child. ing final arguments Friday that lifted Robert Aragon’s daughter Lorraine Aragon, center, and JoLeta Jenks, right, await the ver- Aragon’s daughter Sage,11,froze to the father and grandfather from the dict Friday at the Lincoln County Courthouse in Shoshone. Jenks is the mother of Sage death, and his son, Bear, now 13, suf- possibility of serving 25 years in and Bear Aragon, who tried to walk nine miles to her house in a snowstorm on Christmas restitution fered hypothermia after he let them prison. McMillen pitched analogies Day after their car became stuck in the snow. Man at left is unidentified. attempt to walk an estimated nine to jurors to show how Aragon was not payments miles on West Magic Road in north- criminally negligent for letting his statute. Throwing a baby into the air “I never rode in a car seat,” ern Lincoln County to their mom’s children go on the fatal walk. and catching the child is just one McMillen said. “I didn’t think my By Nate Poppino house last Christmas after their car He argued that there are common example McMillen cited. mom was ever guilty of this statute Times-News writer got stuck in snow. Sage was found actions parents take with their chil- “When you think about it, you’re for not putting me in a car seat.” lifeless under a snowdrift by a dren, which he said contradict guilty of this statute,”he told jurors of A judge will decide barbed-wire fence, while Bear sur- Idaho’s felony injury to a child the injury to a child law. See ARAGON, Main 2 soon whether the state can order senior water users deprived of their rights by juniors to accept financial compensation Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize Lacey Loughmiller pleads guilty instead of water. Attorneys for a group of evokes passionate response junior groundwater to embezzling Bellevue funds pumpers, Clear Springs Foods of Buhl and other INSIDE As part of her Oct. 2 plea from Bellevue in 2007.At her entities involved in recent News analysis Obama says Peace Prize Richfield resident agreement, Blaine County preliminary hearing in April, major Magic Valley water is ‘a call to action.’ prosecutors recommended the prosecutor showed calls debated the concept By Eli Saslow to pay restitution that $4,000 of that fine be numerous receipts for cash before a judge on Friday at The Washington Post See Main 5 suspended, and that a sen- allegedly signed by the Snake River Basin tence of seven years in prison Loughmiller and correspon- Adjudication courtroom WASHINGTON — The All told, Barack Obama of nearly $14,000 with three fixed be imposed. ding credit adjustments to in Twin Falls. new winner of the Nobel spoke for six minutes Friday. As a condition of probation, those accounts that were not The hearing was the Peace Prize walked out of his He said little concrete, By Ariel Hansen Loughmiller would have to accompanied by explana- result of a proposal by the house just after 11 a.m., nothing controversial, Times-News writer serve 180 days in county jail. tions. Loughmiller was one North Snake and Magic dressed handsomely in a nothing contentious. And Part of the plea is restitu- of only three employees who Valley groundwater dis- dark suit and a classic blue yet, once he walked back HAILEY — Lacey tion to the city of Bellevue of could make the adjustments. tricts last December to tie. He descended a marble into his house, contention Loughmiller, a former water $13,880.96, plus $1,500 to an Also entered into evidence pay Clear Springs for the staircase into a manicured dominated the day. and sewer clerk for the city of attorney for Condie, Stoker was a spreadsheet produced loss of its water rather garden, flowers in full This is how it has always Bellevue, has pleaded guilty & Robins for the costs of her by a certified public than provide mitigation bloom, and stepped to a gone with Obama: His latest to embezzling thousands of preliminary hearing. accountant after the city water themselves. The podium on a perfect autumn coronation, this time as dollars from the city in 2007. In her plea document, clerk noticed “something plan was later amended to day. After making a joke Nobel Peace Prize winner, Loughmiller, 30, of Rich- Loughmiller wrote that she odd”about the department’s also provide the trout about the lightheartedness inspired a dozen different field, had previously pleaded was pleading guilty “because accounting.The spreadsheet company with replace- of children, he said he was reactions that were similar not guilty to felony grand I committed the crimes,” allegedly shows that com- ment fish. “surprised and humbled” by only in their intensity. theft by embezzlement. admitting “I stole cash that pared to less than $1,000 in Dave Tuthill, former the award. Then he asked Instead of the universal She is scheduled to be came in from customers to adjustments made in 2006, director of the Idaho the world to unite by provid- tribute that often comes sentenced in December, and pay for their w/s more than $10,000 in Department of Water ing all people with opportu- with a Nobel Prize, Obama’s faces a maximum sentence (water/sewer) bills.” adjustments were made in Resources, dismissed the nity, dignity and freedom of 14 years in prison and a It is unclear how much 2007,many without receipts from violence and disease. See NOBEL, Main 2 $5,000 fine. Loughmiller embezzled or explanation. See WATER, Main 2 Comics................Business 3 Crossword ......Classifieds 8 Obituaries ............Religion 4 Commodities ......Business 2 Dear Abby........Classifieds 6 Opinion ......................Main 6 HOME, SWEET HOME? Community ............Sports 7 Movies........................Main 7 Sudoku ..........Classifieds 10 Home ownership takes a battering > BUSINESS 1 MORNINGMORNINGMain 2 Saturday, October 10, 2009 BRIEFINGBRIEF- TN Times-News, Twin Falls, Idaho Pat’s Picks TODAY’S HAPPENINGS ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT Three things to do today ing, program: Martha Washington: Our First supervision for those under age 18), noon The Magic Valley Youth Orchestra and First Lady, 11:30 a.m., Catering Room, to 4 p.m., Model Rail Road Building, Twin Pat Marcantonio Chamber Ensemble rehearsal, selections Norm’s Cafe, 805 Main St. W., Twin Falls, Falls County Fairgrounds, Filer, 404-2151. include Handel’s “Water Music,”“Dance of 308-1810. Bingo, 1 to 3 p.m., Twin Falls Senior Center, • Get out and dance at Rupert. It offers a range of the Comedians” by Smetana,“Salute to the Twin Falls Bank & Trust employees meeting 530 Shoshone St. W., Twin Falls, cards: four Spartan Dance Force’s tests, many of which require Cinema” and “Scenes from the Old West,” and no-host lunch, all former Bank & Trust for $3, 734-5084. dance choreography camp fasting for 10 to 12 hours. It 9:30 a.m., College of Southern Idaho Fine employees and friends invited, 1 p.m., from 9:30 a.m.