6th Grade, Paul Elementary, Paul, Idaho

Front(l-r): Augustin Gonzales, James McCray, Sharlyn Maughan, Kami Klosterman, Emily Neibaur, Erin Zemke, Kyle McCoy, Douglas Hayden, Ryon Carney; Middle: James Mendenhall, Fenton Mayes, Colleen Harper, Monica Woodland, James McKenzie, Mandy Kaster, Deanne Williams, Amber King, Wade Moss, Frank Peterson; Back: Tom Kunzler, Wes Grace, Ben Frank, Carrie Presley, Kevin Orton, Travis Butcher, Paul Ross, Jeri Lyn Parks. Absent Chad Higley.

I have mentioned before when I shared class pictures from Paul Elementary for Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th Grades, that I was glad to have other classmates who allowed me to scan the class photos. All mine were lost due to a flood in our basement while I was on my mission in 1998-2000. I am happy to report that the missing 3rd and 6th Grade pictures have been provided, thanks to Erin Zemke.

This is our 6th grade class picture from Paul Elementary, Paul, Idaho. This was the 1990 – 1991 school year.

Normally I organized photos with married names and dates. Since all are still alive, I will forgo any of the dates. I have added the married last name for the ones I know. If you have corrections, please let me know.

Frank Peterson

James Corless Mendenhall (1935-2013)

Travis Butcher

Ryon Paul Carney (1978-1991)

Ben Frank

Augustin Gonzales

Wes Grace

Colleen Harper married Barnes

Douglas Hayden

Chad Higley

Mandy Kaster

Amber King

Kami Klosterman married Beall

Thomas Kunzler

Sharlyn Maughan

Fenton Mayes

Kyle McCoy

James McCray

James McKenzie

Wade Moss

Emily Neibaur married Haynes

Kevin Orton

Jeri Lyn Parks

Carrie Presley

Paul Ross

Deanne Williams

Monica Woodland

Erin Zemke married McKindree

3rd Grade, Paul Elementary, Paul, Idaho

Back(b-r): Mrs. Ella Suhr, Shane Ball, Kaleb Winn, Scott Torix, Genevive Olivas, Kevin Orton, Jamie Mingo, Kristi Jensen; Middle: Jeff Hayden, Karlene Hansen, Jacob Timmons, Jalene Woodward, Paul Ross, Adrianne Neibaur, Archie Winnett, Nathan Jones; Front: Shaun Bettazza, Alfonso Jaramillo, Nicole Catmull, Emmy Mendoza, Erin Zemke, Kelli Osterhout, Cody Strunk, and Michael Thompson.

I have mentioned before when I shared class pictures from Paul Elementary for Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th Grades, that I was glad to have other classmates who allowed me to scan the class photos. All mine were lost due to a flood in our basement while I was on my mission in 1998-2000. I am happy to report that the missing 3rd and 6th Grade pictures have been provided, thanks to Erin Zemke.

This is our 3rd grade class picture from Paul Elementary, Paul, Idaho. This was the 1987 – 1988 school year.

Normally I organized photos with married names and dates. Since all are still alive, I will forgo any of the dates. I have added the married last name for the ones I know. If you have corrections, please let me know.

Ella Lucille Senften Suhr (1927-2005)

Shane Ball

Shaun Bettazza

Nicole Catmull married Manning

Karlene Hansen married Ashcraft

Jeff Hayden

Michael Hollis now Thompson

Alfonso Jaramillo

Kristi Jensen married Rich

Nathan Jones

Emmy Mendoza married Deal (interesting side note, I remember coming back from a field trip at Craters of the Moon and dropping her off at home out near Kimima, our whole group of busses stopped)

Jamie Mingo married Harman

Adrianne Neibaur

Genevive Olivas

Kevin Orton

Kelli Osterhout married Bates

Paul Ross

Cody Strunk

Jacob Timmons

Scott Torix

Kaleb Winn

Archie Winnett

Jalene Woodward married Richman

Erin Zemke married McKindree

Circle A Construction Trucks

Circle A Construction trucks in Twin Falls

This photo was dropped to me by a friend and former employee of Circle A Construction. It conjured many thoughts and emotions as I grew up around these very trucks. I wrote previously a mention of the Aslett’s who were so tied with Circle A.

My first job in 1994 was washing and waxing trucks from the beet haul/harvest. Dustin McClellan was my co-worker and friend. We did all the washing at the old Hynes beet dump. Most of those trucks were new and just white. Circle A was getting away from the costly paint jobs you see above. In the photo below, you see the plain white tractors that took over from those in years past.

Circle A Construction trucks in front of the Idaho Capitol in 2000

When all the tractors and trailers were finished from the beet haul, then we got to work on the fancier paint job trucks. These were harder work. That dark golden brown didn’t hold up as well in the sun and often oxidized making the waxing hard. Sometimes multiple waxes were required. Turtle Wax was making money off of us now!

Here is another picture of one of those trucks. This is one of the double belly dump main trailers that started to disappear about the same time. The double belly dump trailers developed structural issues the longer they were used. Within a short time all were cut down or recycled to the single belly dumps you see above. Road weight laws were also changing and transitioning, which I seem to recall was another issue.

Circle A Construction Truck in Paul Parade about 1985

Now I was a little boy in the truck of that stark white Star trailer. This truck is older than the ones in the picture at the beginning of the post. This photo brings out the colors better than the one at the top. You can see the metallic flakes in the golden brown, the bright red, the dark burgundy, and the white. There was quite a bit of cost that went into painting each of these trucks the custom paint job.

There was the writing and the pin striping too. There were the lines between each of these blocks/shades too.

Many memories. I was almost killed one day while very young by one of these trailers. Some of my youngest memories included semis painted just like the ones above. I do not live and play in the trucking industry anymore, but it does not mean I do not have many memories growing up around it.

Grandma Jonas backyard

Scanning some photos from a photo album of my Aunt Jackie, I found these treasures. These pictures appear to be 1977 to 1978 based on the age of my cousin. It took me back to my own memories of this back yard growing up. This is Grandma’s home on what was 50 South, now 584 Sunnyslope Drive, Paul, Idaho.

Brook Jonas on a new backyard patio
The old red barn over the canal from Grandma’s back patio

The same shed a few years later, boarded up.

Sandy, Jack, and Paul Ross
Sidewalk to shed. That flower bed had amazing gooseberries. May have climbed that antenna pole to get on the roof a few times.
The back of the yellow shed with the old outhouse and little red tar paper shack. I do remember many years of the yellow apples.

Another photo I found with me on the back patio about 1980.

Milo Ross, Paul, and dog.

Here is the same back yard from a different angle probably 3-5 years later. Grass is now in place and the ditch side looks prepared as the flowerbeds I knew them.

Unknown, Jackie, Unknown looking toward the same back yard and ditch.

In the same area, 1992.

Paul, Milo, Sandy, and Andra Ross 9 June 1992

Another showing the same background in 1992.

Paul, Milo, Sandy, and Andra Ross in 1992

And then another photo from 1995.

24 August 1995. The old apple trees are all gone, just a red maple then. Flower beds built up along ditch along with the rail fence.

Looking at Google Maps today, it appears all the flower beds are gone, most of the fences, most of the trees. A minimalist attempt at landscaping. I spent many a Saturday morning with my Dad mowing those lawns.

Idahome, Idaho

“Two other Idaho boomtowns which never really got off the ground were Idahome and Yale, in the Raft River Valley. Idahome was at one time, a planned major shipping point for cattle and grain out of the Raft River Valley, but the town died when plans for the railroad failed to materialize. Today, all that remains at Idahome is a grain elevator and the only thing left in Yale is a beet dump. Several other planned towns in the Raft River Valley met the same fate when the railroad did not come into the area.”

This newspaper clipping caught my attention for a couple of reasons. Idahome is not too far from me in Cassia County, about 30 miles from Burley.

Apparently my Great Great Grandparents, James and Damey Ross, lived in Idahome in 1918. At least that is where their son Robert shows them as living when he registered for the draft in September 1918. They moved quickly to Paul, Idaho as I understand Jim worked the first sugar beet campaign that fall. It was in Paul they lived when their son, John, aka Jack, came to visit while on leave from the army in 1919. I don’t know how long Jim and Damey lived in Idahome. Other than that draft registration, I was not aware they were residing in or near Idahome. Either way, it now holds a place as an alleged residence of my Great Great Grandparents.

Owyhee County Courthouse

Owyhee County Courthouse

Earlier this year I was in Boise for the Inauguration. I attended the Inauguration and Amanda and I both attended the Inaugural Dinner and Ball. It was fun. However, I intentionally took the long way home the next day down through Kuna, Murphy, Oreana, Grand View, Bruneau, Hammett, Glenns Ferry, King Hill, Bliss, Gooding, Shoshone, Dietrich, and Paul. It was a beautiful drive and I took 8 hours to make it!

As you can see above, I stopped at the Owyhee County Courthouse in Murphy. I got a kick out of the parking meter sign. It was a rather blustery day so I took the picture from my truck.

I drove past this sign and thought it was hilarious!

South Joe King Road in Hammett, Idaho

I found it so hilarious I turned around to go back and get a picture! I chortled just now uploading it for you.

Once I rolled into Hammett, I took this photo.

Hammett, Idaho, looking west

I will have to upload some of the other photos I took at the Lincoln and Gooding County Courthouses another time. I hit three courthouses in the same day, just for photos, not for work.

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

Building inspector

MANY PEOPLE in Minidoka County aren’t aware of the large amount of construction projects going on but Evan Elliott, on right, isn’t one of them. He knows what the projects are, where they are and who is doing the work. The job of County Inspector is far from being a dull job. (SIP Photo)

Found this article about Evan Elliott, who I grew up calling Grandpa until they divorced.

Building inspector takes look at four walls from either side.

By Arvetta Savage

SIP Feature Writer

While some people find it difficult to cope with an “indoor” job, there are still others who fail to adjust to an “outdoor” job. But Evan Elliot, 41, Paul, figures he just about has his problem solved.

Evan has an “indoor-outdoor” job. He serves as Minidoka County building inspector and maintains an office at Rupert. However, whenever those four walls start closing i on him he can step outdoors and fulfill another facet in his profession.

Evan doesn’t consider his occupation the most fun-loving one in the Mini-Cassia area, but on the other hand it’s far from dull. He has the opportunity to meet a variety of personalities and characters, and according to Evan, there’s nothing dull about meeting or working with the general public. He describes it as a “challenge.”

Evan has been affiliated with construction most of his life. Born in Soda Springs and raised at Paul graduating from Paul High School in 1953, he served three years in the Marine Corps. He traveled around while serving his country, travels with his present occupation and plans to travel further as time progresses.

During his service in the Military, Evan was injured in the Korean conflict and was hospitalized in an Army hospital 10 months in Japan. During that period Evan utilized his time learning about that country and even tried his hand at the Japanese language. Right now, he enjoys going into a Japanese operated restaurant and surprising the owners by speaking to them in their native tongue.

Evan and his wife, the former Colleen Jonas, of Burley whom he married April 9, 1976, plan to travel to Japan next year. Evan has wanted to return to that country and renew his memories of the time he had spent there. He and Colleen traveled extensively on their honeymoon last month and have plans of including traveling in their future.

Besides traveling, Evan also hunts, fishes and recently has taken up the hobby of constructing cactus lamps out of cactus shipped here from Arizona. Constructing things has always interested him, which could be the reason he enjoys his present occupation so much; that of building inspector, which he has been since Jan. 1, 1975.

Purpose of inspecting buildings is to determine and make certain the building will be and is now, structurally sound. About eight inspections are made on each construction so that any changes needed can be made before the building is completed.

Evan knows that his job is controversial and is one position which many persons don’t approve of entirely, or is one which they would not want themselves.

He considers this job a challenge, one of necessity to the public, and in the long run, the duties of building inspector could even result in the saving of money for some individuals as well as saving lives of many.