Idaho

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Custer County Courthouse

Custer County Idaho Courthouse

This weekend I traveled to beautiful Custer County to participate in the Idaho GOP Summer Meeting at the beautiful Living Waters Ranch just west of Challis, Idaho.

Around the table from left to right: Mark Johnson, Kimberly Kaehler, Jordan Marques, Chris Boyd, Nick Woods, Vince Rundhaugh, Hari Heath, Elena Wise, Luke Sommer, Stewart Hyndman, Brent Regan, Machele Hamilton, David Taylor, Jeff Siddoway, Larry Oja, Trent Clark, Paul Ross, Rick Jessinger. Idaho GOP Rules Committee, 23 June 2023.

I was in Boise on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday and made the trek through Idaho City, Lowman, Stanley, Clayton, to Challis. I don’t think I have been to Challis since about 2003 when I took a friend from England to Challis on a road tour. I came here a couple of times in the 1980’s with my Grandma selling insurance. It really has not changed much since my memories here in the 80’s. One time after Camp Bradley we were brought to Challis to the hot springs. I recall stopping at Yankee Fork Dredge and the ghost towns of Bonanza and Custer.

Throughout the late 80s and 90s we also came up multiple times to herd cattle for Aslett Ranches. We moved quite a few cattle from or to Mackay to the wilderness up near White Knob. I quite liked that time with my Dad. I don’t miss the ticks, saddle sore legs, and dry heat.

Aslett Mackay Ranch

As an attorney, I find myself drawn to the Courthouses. I actually have a pending case in Custer County at present for a high school friend whose father passed and a probate needed to be done. We are working through that case and published in the local paper, recorded at the County Recorder, and have the ongoing case at the Courthouse.

The drive over was beautiful. The road from Boise to Lowman is gnarly. My pickup felt even less safe on that road due to height and length. I just cannot hug the road like those low cars that seemed to just want to ride close behind. I was happy to pull over them a few times to let them pass. I drop a gear and let the engine keep me slow too. One car passed me and I could see the smoke from his brakes and that distinct smell.

Looking toward Grandjean Peak above Grandjean, Idaho

There are the usual breathtaking views of various vistas in the Sawtooth Mountains. There is also evidence of the perils too.

Evidence of an avalanche. The large boulder sitting on top of snow and all the flattened trees of a forest already devastated by fire.
Plenty of trees sitting on top of the packed snow still straddling Canyon Creek. Looking up the hill you could see the path the avalanche came down the mountain bringing the dead trees with it.

I also stopped at the Sunbeam Dam near Sunbeam, Idaho to snap a picture or two and walk along the Salmon River.

Remains of Sunbeam Dam on Salmon River.
Highway 75 Bridge over Yankee Fork near the confluence with the Salmon River.

I could see some fish in the river. I was tempted to try and catch one but the water was so cold I decided not to do anything silly.

All of Custer County is only pushing 4,500 people for the entire county. Custer County has some of our highest mountains, including Mount Borah, Idaho’s tallest mountain. Much of the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Area is also in Custer.

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Additional Colleen photos

Colleen Andra as a teenager

I have quite a treasure trove of photos of my grandmother, Colleen Mary Andra. But the earlier you go back in her life, the less there are. Born in 1928, photos were not inexpensive in the 1930s. In a family of 12 children, 10 who lived to adulthood, those photos would have to be selectively chosen on occasion and who they captured. I believe there are more photos, but whether I will ever have them is the question.

It was with some excitement that I found these photos. I believe these all depict Colleen as a teenager. The one above with a 1930s vehicle and an early 1940s car rear end. I couldn’t figure out what either car was with the limited view of the cars. I also tried to pin down the mountains, but they don’t seem to line up with Preston or Richmond. The mountains are too close for Preston or Whitney, so it must be farther south on the Utah side of Cache Valley.

Colleen Andra

Here is another photo of Grandma. I don’t know the location of this photo either. I believe she is older in this photo.

This photo was also in the stack. The non-color and non-spotty version I shared earlier.

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2023 Legislative Session

Brandon Woolf, McCord Larsen, Paul Ross with Idaho State Capitol

This year I was more involved in the legislative process than in the past. There were a few bills I was particularly interested and closely involved. I even helped write a few.

On 3 March 2023 I traveled to the Idaho State Capitol with my friend and Cassia County Prosecutor McCord Larsen to testify on a particular bill related to Public Defense. While there, we took the opportunity to make a number of other calls and visits in addition to the legislators/legislative. This photo comes from one of those visits.

Brandon Woolf is the Idaho State Controller. More importantly he is my friend. He is always out and about in visiting communities and friends. I have run into him in Preston, Soda Springs, Malad, Burley, Rupert, and Boise. Not only do I respect and honor this friend, our families have been friends for generations. Brandon is from Preston, where my Andra, Nuffer, and Wanner lines are all from. I have ran into Brandon at That Famous Preston Night Rodeo, the Rodeo Days Parade (also in Preston), and even the Independence Day Breakfast in Preston. It has been a small world and an oddity that I run into this guy as much as I do.

He took us through and shows us the new Transparent Idaho website. He is pretty excited for this website to continue to be rolled out and outfitted with all information for Idaho government. That is not just state, but every taxing district from cities, to counties; from cemetery districts to school districts.

The highlight was catching up between old friends (and Aggies). For the occasion, we snapped this photo from Brandon’s office. Somehow it seems enchanting. My beloved state, a phenomenal Idaho Constitutional Officer, friendship, and a beautiful Capitol. My experience with Idaho is that we are in good hands.

As for the legislation we were working on that day, well it was a disappointment. Representatives Weber and Cannon apparently were more interested in passing a bill than getting it right. We have tons of clean-up, which is always harder the second or third year than at the beginning. I have many, many reservations on the bill generally and don’t think it cannot be cleaned up but for a rewrite. But they didn’t care about that either. For a state that is independent, local control, and willing to do things different, this bill flew in the face of all that. It centralized power, removed local stakeholders, consolidated processes, ignored processes, and all at the same time wildly underfunded. I hope I am wrong, but I think it will get worse before it gets better.

Other bills were introduced too late and didn’t get too far. Others passed through unmarred and become clarifying law. The updates of bankruptcy related law all seem to have failed. But we will try again next year. Too bad it does not pay, it is hard doing all this on your own dime and sacrificing your gainful employment.

We were able to do lunch with our local Representative Clay Handy and visit with Representative Doug Pickett. Senator Kelly Anthon was kind enough to introduce us and welcome us from the Senate floor. We were unable otherwise to meet up with him.

Idaho is still small. I hope we do not lose the small state legislature, the gentleman’s creed, and the ability to do business. Please like Brandon keep hope in government when it is sometimes hard to keep hope in such a process.

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Richmond 1968

Sandy and Jackie Jonas, 142 State St, Richmond, Utah, 1968

I stumbled on this photo working through and scanning more photos from my Aunt Jackie. This may be the only color photo I have of my Mom in Richmond. That was the first thing that jumped out at me. I believe most of the photos from Richmond are black and white. The photo indicates it was developed in January 1969, which tells me it is from 1968. Good chance it is later in the summer or fall, trees, grass, and shrubs are in full greenery and there appears to be dead grass clippings on the sidewalk.

1968 would also put my Mom at 14 years old, Jackie at 8. Which could very well be. I would be somewhat tempted to suggest 1967. That same year they moved to 2652 Fairmont Avenue in Burley, Idaho. I have written about that move before. But that post also has a photo of Jackie very early on as well that appears to be similar age. Here is that photo again.

Jackie Jonas dancing on Fairmont Ave

Either way, the photo of my Mom about 14 caught my attention. I thought I would share it here to give it some context.

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Yellowstone 2020

In 2020, the Ross Family took a trip through the Pacific Northwest. Our first stop was the world’s first National Park, Yellowstone! We left Burley, Idaho about noon and headed out for a longer than week road trip.

Hiram and Aliza Ross at Grand Prismatic Spring, 31 July 2020
Aliza, Lillian, Hiram, and James Ross waiting for Old Faithful, 31 July 2020

We arrived for Old Faithful, but it was going to be another hour, so we wandered Geyser Basin to kill some time.

Castle Geyser, 31 July 2020
We took the Upper Geyser Basin Trail and Upper Geyser Hill Trail

Old Faithful proved true to her name!

Aliza, Hiram, Lillie, and Amanda Ross with Old Faithful in the background, 31 July 2020

That night we stayed in Lake Village.

Mud Volcano is a popular stop and one I remember as a kid, 1 August 2020
Aliza, James, Lillie, and Paul Ross at Dragons Mouth Spring, 1 August 2020
Bison Herd at Yellowstone, 1 August 2020
The world famous Lower Falls in Yellowstone’s Grand Canyon, 1 August 2020
Even a selfie, Paul, Amanda, Aliza, Hiram, and James Ross, 1 August 2020
Another picture of the Yellowstone Grand Canyon from further down stream, you can see the top of the Lower Falls, 1 August 2020
James, Amanda, Lillie, Aliza, and Hiram Ross at Mammoth Hot Spring, 1 August 2020

Hiram Ross at Mammoth Hot Spring, 1 August 2020
Mammoth Hot Spring, Yellowstone National Park, 1 August 2020

The kids were worn out after a long day and we were then spending the night in Bozeman, Montana. We made our trip out of the park and to Montana to the C’mon Inn where we crashed for the night. The kids liked the Coy.

Aliza and Lillian Ross watching fish in Bozeman, Montana

You can read out about our visit the next day to the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman.

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Heyburn kids read the summer away

May Melycher, 8, enjoys the food at a special picnic for students who participated in a successful summer reading program at Heyburn Elementary.

By Wayne Hoffman

Heyburn – You don’t picture students reading and taking tests during the summer. But at Heyburn, students have just finished a program which encouraged them to do both on their own.

Heyburn Elementary School Students have been going to the school library two days a week since June. They’ve been encouraged to check out books based on how well they’re able to read on their own.

When they’re done with each book, they take a computer comprehension test. Correct answers earn them points to spend at the school’s Reader’s Emporium.

The Parent Teacher’s Organization sponsors the Reader’s Emporium – a special store where earned points earn everything from costume jewelry to stuffed cougars to radios.

May Melycher, 8, said she enjoyed reading books to her little brother, Jesse, 3.

“I mostly read Disney books because he likes the stories,” May said. “He likes Lion King the best.”

May’s mom, Jackie Melycher, said the reading program has helped Jesse, as he’s been a slow talker.

It’s helped May, also.

“May is a good reader,” Jackie Melycher said. She’s done so well in Mrs. Jones’ class.”

About 500 hundred students signed up to check out books and take tests during the summer. Yesterday, the kids who took part in the program and the parents and school staffers who helped with it were honored at a special picnic on school grounds.

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Jonas-Melycher Wedding

Paul – Married in a small private ceremony at the home of the bride’s mother in Paul were Jackie Jonas of LaGrande Ore., and William Francis “Willie” Melycher of Spirit Lake, Idaho. The cemerony, performed at 7 p.m. by Bishop Ronald Nielsen of the Paul LDS Second Ward, was held on July 23 at the home of Colleen A. Jonas, 575 W. 50 S., Paul.

The bridegroom is the son of William Francis “Red” Melycher, Newtown, Conn.

The bridge, given in marriage by Douglas Norwood Jonas of Anchorage, Alaska, wore a gown made by Joyce Miller, fashioned in the full length of white lace with white satin robbon bow around the neck and a cumberbund. Her mesh headdress was enhanced on each side with strands of flowers and beads. Her flowers were gardenias and white roses.

Matron of honor was Sandy Jonas Ross; the flower girl was Andra Ross; ringbearer Paul Norwood Jonas Ross; and the best man Milo Paul Ross.

The bride’s colors were turquoise, aquamarine and teal, with decorations by Patty’s. Candelabra was furnished by Alice Cannon. Pianist was Susan Neibaur.

Cindy Hotchkiss made the three tiered wedding cake, decorated in the bride’s colors and floral accents of gardenias, white roses, and greenery. Colleen A. Jonas cut and served the cake.

Others assisting were Sergene Sorenson and Rae Smith.

The couple traveled to Newtown prior to the wedding.

The bride, a graduate of Burley High School and Boise State University, is a brakeman for the Union Pacific Railroad at LaGrande; and her husband is a graduate of Henry Abbott Technical in Danbury, Conn., and is chief ultrasonic rail inspector for Dapco Industries, Inc., Ridgefield, Conn.

Back (l-r): Milo and Sandy Ross, Willie and Jackie Melycher, Doug Jonas, Colleen Jonas, Brook Jonas; Front: Paul and Andra Ross

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Evan Jonas family visiting Burley

(l-r) Norwood Jonas, Jackie Jonas, Susan Jonas, Evan Jonas, Shelly Jonas, Lona Jonas

This was a fun photo to stumble on. I think this photo was 1968/1969. Grandpa & Grandma Norwood & Colleen Jonas moved to Burley, Cassia, Idaho in 1968. I am unclear if they had the house built in 1968 or if someone else built it and they were the first owners of the home. I have written with other photos of the home at 2652 Fairmont Avenue.

I don’t know the occasion or anything else. But it is fun that Evan & Lona brought the two youngest to come and visit at this time. A good looking picture of all of them. Two dapper brothers and their daughters.