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McCall Seminar

I was elected to the Commercial Law & Bankruptcy Section Board of the Idaho State Bar in 2015. Since then I have participated in its main event, the yearly Seminar. The Seminar has been in various locations, Idaho Falls, Boise, McCall, Coeur d’Alene, and I brought it to Burley.

It has been a great opportunity to rub shoulders and personally see other practitioners of the Section on, at least, a yearly basis. This year I went up early to McCall to help set up, scope out the premises, and enjoy an extra day off. I plan it that way just in case weather is crazy I also have plenty of time to get there and ready. Another great part of the Seminar is attending these each year I get more than enough credits for my continuing legal education credits.

I did the Seminar in Burley in 2019. But for whatever reason, I didn’t take any pictures. So this year I made a mental note to take some photographs of McCall that would also give some sense of what happened in Burley.

Here is my room at the Shore Lodge in McCall, Idaho
The view from my balcony at Shore Lodge overlooking the frozen Payette Lake

Here are a couple of photos in the main conference room at the Shore Lodge, McCall, Idaho as set up for the 38th Annual Seminar.

Nothing like eating breakfast in bed and studying/reviewing for the presentation you are about to give. You cannot see it, but it was beautiful overlooking the lake.
You can see how much snow is on the roof of the exercise center at the Shore Lodge in McCall. Another picture from 2013 below.
The Shore Lodge swimming pool through the trees.
I need to get one of these chairs. Quite enjoyed reading or reviewing in it.
Here is the picture I took at the same location as above but in McCall on 28 February 2013.
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Old Guard Rails

Old Highway 30 Guardrail

One day on my way back from Pocatello I decided to get off at the Raft River exit and take the Old Highway 30 into Rupert.  Just as I came under the interstate I recalled there is a relic left on the side of the road.  I pulled aside and snapped a few pictures as I really don’t know when this might be removed or replaced.

Some of the posts have been tipped out, see the lava ridge in the background

Old Highway 30 before the construction of the interstate in the 1960’s passed the Raft River Store (which is still there) and then went across the desert to Rupert entering the east side of town.  It then ran through Rupert and to Rupert.

This hill leaving Raft River and ascending the hill provides a glimpse into the safety technology of guardrails for that era.  I snapped these photos 28 September 2017.

See the cable terminus.

 

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William Andra Jr

This photo was recently shared with me.  I never really knew William personally, I can remember his presence as a kid at reunions, I knew who he was.  But this photo is one that seems to make him that much more personal to me.

I have written on William previously and shared photos.

William Fredrick Andra Jr (1920 – 1992).

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Richmond Cemetery Disgrace

On 26 June 2014 I stopped for a visit at the Richmond, Utah, City Cemetery. I have a number of family buried there. It had been several years since I had been to the cemetery. I stopped by the Jonas family graves and was shocked by what I saw. Open scarring and damage to the tombstones. This is a follow up to a previous post.

Tombstone of Irwin J Jonas, notice the top side has been completely chipped away, along with the obvious metal dragging across the surface.

I reached out to Richmond City Hall to find out who was in charge of the Cemetery. I was given the name and phone number of Jeff Young and Cheryl Peck. I called and left a message for both. I returned to the Cemetery to take some additional pictures.

Tombstone of my grandfather, Norwood Jonas. Notice how the top corners are both completely chipped away.
Backside of tombstone for Joseph and Lillian Jonas. Notice the apparent dragging of the mower deck along the back of the stone.

Over the next few weeks, I called and left messages for Jeff Young and Cheryl Peck. I indicated who I was and why I was calling. I never received a call back from either.

Tombstone of Herbert & Martha Coley. Notice the large chips and damage to the top of the stone.

A month or two later after no response from Mr. Young or Ms. Peck, I called back to Richmond City Hall. I was given the phone number for Marlowe Adkins. I had met Mr. Adkins when I worked for Inlande Environmental and Richmond City was doing some upgrades to their wastewater treatment facility. Mr. Adkins explained to me that the Cemetery had a Citizens Committee that was responsible for the Cemetery and Mr. Young was the one to talk to regarding the care of the Cemetery.

Tombstone of Ole Christiansen. Notice the large chip out of the top right, the corner worn off the bottom right, and the rounded damage on the top left.

I had not been to the cemetery for probably close to 8 years. As far as I can tell on the family tombstones all the damage occurred during that time.

I walked around the cemetery and snapped photos of the obvious damage on other grave markers.

  • Previous Mayor of Richmond Ross Plant’s tombstone didn’t fare any better.
  • This is obviously from repeated mowing and dragging the mower deck across the stone face.
  • Notice the large chip on the top right.
  • Both top corners completely chipped away.
  • Dragging of the metal along the back by the mower.
  • Large gash across the top chipping the stone and leaving the metal rust.
  • American Legion medallion completely broken from its rod.
  • The American Legion badges don’t even have the posts anymore.
  • This has been sitting there for a good while.
  • Looks like the city is kind enough to not throw away everyone’s hook!
  • Substantial chipping away on the corners of the stone.
  • Watch your step.
  • The entire stone has been pushed aside.

After not hearing from Mr. Young or Ms. Peck for several months, I reached out to an attorney regarding liability for the damages to these stones. Ultimately, the determination was made that proving the date of the damage was going to be hard and second Utah only has a small time frame in which to make notice of the injury. The king has again protected itself against liability. There would be no recourse against Richmond. Some of the FindaGrave photos uploaded in 2010 did have some of the damages showing, so we were obviously over the known injury time frame to make a claim.

Hopefully citizens and residents of Richmond would care how their Cemetery is being cared for, but I guess since it happened and no action was taken, I guess I might be wrong. Not my fight. But I can hope that shining a light on the issue might help.

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Old Paul School

Old Paul School

I don’t know the year the Paul Independent School District was created, but it was Paul Independent District #3.  After a successful vote in 1948, Paul Independent School District was one of 17 districts that combined to create Minidoka County Joint School District #331. For your information, those Districts were Acequia (2 – Rural and Independent), Big Bend, Empire, Heyburn (2 – Joint and Common), Hopewell, Jackson, Lincoln, Minidoka, Paul, Pioneer, Rosston, Riverview, Rupert, Walcott, and Washington.

Later, a consolidated high school, Minidoka County High School or Minico High School, was built.  The last graduating class of Acequia, Heyburn, Paul, and Rupert High Schools was 1955.  1956 ushered in the first graduating class of Minico.

The building above was the Paul School which included the high school.  This building burned down by arson in 1977 and the present building was built in 1980 with some minor additions since.  The old ball fields are still behind with the backstops.  The current elementary has the old bell hanging in front of the school sheltered from the elements.

Current Paul Elementary

Here is another picture of the old school from the Paul water tower.

Paul, Idaho from water tower

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The Couch and Chair

My Grandparents, Norwood Jonas and Colleen Andra, married in 1946.  It is my understanding they were given a number of items for their marriage.  The two main ones I remember are a bedroom set (which my Aunt Jackie still has) and a couch and chair.  My Mom at some point in the past received the couch and chair.  I remember them early on as a child.

I have noticed both in a few pictures over time.

Sandy and Doug Jonas about 1958-59 in chair

In the picture above you can almost see the pattern in the fabric.  I imagine it was a rough, thick fabric.

Norwood and Sandy Jonas on couch about 1957-58

In this one, you can also see the same pattern in the fabric.  Notice the wood accent on the front and carved feet.  Grandpa and Mom are on this couch, you can see Doug on a different chair in the corner.  These pictures are at the Jonas home they built in Richmond, Utah.  In the chair and couch, you can see the back of each with the vertical tucks.

Doug and Sandy cuddled under a blanket with couch to the right.

I know it is only a side shot, but another photo it appears.  It is interesting what other objects appear in pictures.  These two are likely watching the television which is across the room next to the chair.

Doug, Sandy kneeling in front of couch about 1962-63

The picture adds a table, but the couch remains behind with the shag rug.  The chair in the corner disappeared, along with the radio (which I have now), but the side table that matches the coffee table appeared.  This photo shows the pattern much better than the previous pictures.

Sandy and Doug Jonas reading on couch

This one jumps back in time with the radio and chair reappearing.  Some more of the pattern and fabric.

Then the couch and chair disappeared.  Obviously when the family moved to Burley, Idaho in 1968 they made the trip.  But I have limited photos in that home and this couch and chair do not appear in the upstairs living room, so they must have been downstairs.  I will have to ask my Uncle or Aunt more information.

About 1985 the chair and couch reappear, and appear for me.  I do not remember the upholstery on them in the photos above.  I remember picking them up for the first time at the upholstery shop in Paul, Idaho.  I don’t know if it was Frontier Upholstery at that time.

Here is a picture of the couch, chair, and stool when Andra had them at her apartment in Rupert.

Couch and chair with Daniel Constable

Daniel Constable sitting on chair

Except it was on the same couch with the vertical tucks and feet and wood accents seen above.  Also, the cushions were spring loaded, so they had extra bounce.

Well, they were in storage from about 2010 to 2018.  They were dusty, had a worn smell to them, and had some structural problems from the hot/cold transitions that come with storage.  I brought them to my home with the thought of saving them and using them for my office.  I took them to an upholsterer here in Burley named Jerry Lankford who lives about a mile east of me.

I received them back last fall.  I am in love with them.  I have preserved a part of my heritage and past.  Now they are useful for an office and another generation.

I will have to get a picture of my kids on the couch and chair before they get too much older.  Not bad for a couch and chair that are at least 74 years old!

This is the photo that made think I should go through the pictures and see if I have others of the couch.  This is one I scanned earlier 2019 from a stack of photos Jackie found.

Doug, Sandy, and Norwood Jonas on couch

They don’t make them like they used to.  I grew up with the coffee table and side table, couch, radio, and little round table more than 30 years after these pictures were taken.  The tables were still in great condition.

I also remember my Mom telling me stories of clipping her father’s toenails.  Not sure if that is what she is doing here, but she is obviously doing something with his feet.

I hope my Grandparents approve, I don’t know why they wouldn’t.  In fact, they are probably disappointed I spent good money on reupholstering an old couch and chair, let alone something with sentimental baggage.  Who knows.

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Playing in the Snow

Doug & Sandy Jonas on front step of home in Richmond, Utah

I scanned a stack of old photos earlier this year my Aunt Jackie had found.  Here is one of the last two I need to catalogue and that I also wanted to share.  (The other requires me to get a new photo to post about it and I keep forgetting to get that photo)

This picture makes me think of the excitement children feel with snow and the desire to go play in it.  Bundled up to go play, warm enough the snow has melted on the step.  In fact, you cannot see snow in this picture.  But I already had the picture below that is likely the same day.

Sandy and Doug Jonas

It appears Doug still has all of his front teeth, so he is probably 5 or 6 years old, Mom is two years behind him in age, and she could certainly be 3 or 4.  She seems to appear more like 4 than 3.

Doug was born July 1952, Mom March 1954, so this could very well be the winter of 1958-1959.  The house is located at 142 North State Street in Richmond, Utah and is still there.  I have written on this before, but my Grandparents, Norwood & Colleen Jonas, built this home.

Another fun photo of years past.  I quite enjoy the look on Doug and Mom’s face.  The hand on the shoulder, the happy/giddy look, the exuberance of youth!

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Lewiston 9th Grade Graduation Class

Lewiston 9th Grade Graduation Class 20 May 1948 (Anderson Studio)

Here is another photo that came from LeReta Jonas Andersen’s family.  She stands second row from the back, middle, with the white flower on her lapel.  I think I recognize Grant Bagley on the front right, but no clue for any of the others.  Anyone have any insight?

Apparently the ceremony took place in the Lewiston, Utah Church Building, I don’t know if the building is still there or not.  I don’t think it is.