Cranksgiving food drive running short on donations

POCATELLO — Over the past few years, the annual Cranksgiving food drive has provided more than 2,500 frozen turkeys to the Idaho Foodbank in Pocatello. 

In 2016 alone, organizers delivered 1,067 turkeys, which helped provide families in need across the region with a traditional Thanksgiving meal. 

But despite the large number of birds donated to the food drive over the years, Tami Parris, who started Pocatello’s Cranksgiving food drive in 2014, said the event’s organizers are currently struggling.

As of Friday, only 33 turkeys and $1,100 have been donated towards this year’s Cranksgiving event. That leaves organizers with about one week left to meet their goal of supplying 1,000 turkeys to the Idaho Foodbank.

“This year we are hurting pretty bad,” Parris said. “We’re behind the curve.”

Being behind schedule with donations has been troubling for the people who work closely with Cranksgiving, including Parris and Barrie Hunt, the owner of Barrie’s Ski and Sports. Their goal is to make sure everybody in Southeast Idaho has a traditional holiday meal on Thanksgiving.

“We don’t want anybody to go hungry or be turned away,” Hunt said.

Jim Beitz, Eastern Idaho Branch Manager of the Idaho Foodbank, said hunger is an “enormous” problem in the region. His branch, which is located in Pocatello, serves 16 eastern Idaho counties and provides 28,000 people with food each month.

The only requirement for people to receive food from the Idaho Foodbank is to ask. However, that is difficult for many, as they tend to feel ashamed for the situation they find themselves in. 

Beitz said those who ask for food at their facility at 555 S. 1st Ave. often stumble over their words when they ask for help.

“The vast majority of the people that we serve work for a living and they just don’t have enough,” he said.

However, Beitz said his organization is barely scratching the surface when it comes to addressing the hunger problem in the region. He said that food insecurity affects 51,000 people in East Idaho, in which 9,000 are children, which is far more people than his organization has reached.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture measures food insecurity as those who do not have access to enough food to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

In November each year, Beitz said food drives like Cranksgiving are important for his organization to ensure families in the region have a traditional Thanksgiving meal. Even with Cranksgiving donating 1,000 turkeys, he said his organization still doesn’t meet 100 percent of the need, but it does provide a positive impact.

Since Cranksgiving was started, the organizers have gotten a front row seat to the hunger problem in East Idaho.

During a previous food drive, Hunt recalls asking one gentleman to donate a turkey to Cranksgiving. The man’s response was both surprising and humbling.

“I asked him to come and bring a turkey, and he said ‘I’m one that needs a turkey. I got one last year and it was the best thing on my plate,’” Hunt said.

Known as a “food drive on two wheels,” Cranksgiving was originally started in New York City in 1999 and has expanded to approximately 80 cities across the globe through grassroots efforts.

Parris launched a version of Cranksgiving in Pocatello in 2014 after she heard about the food drive on NBC’s Today show. When she heard that the Idaho Foodbank needed 600 turkeys for Thanksgiving that year, she teamed up with Barrie’s Ski and Sports and state Sen. Roy Lacey to meet the quota.

Each year since then, Cranksgiving has received more and more turkeys from donors, and Parris doesn’t want to come up short this year.

“The reason we do this is because somebody has to do it,” Parris said. “Right now times are so tough that people need it more than ever, and I think it’s a good time for people to show their compassion and take care of one another.”

Those wishing to contribute to the event can donate a turkey or turkeys to the freezer at Barrie’s Ski and Sports. Donors can also provide cash or a check made out to “Cranksgiving” while at Barrie’s. 

And owing to its roots as a biking event, cyclists will ride from Barrie’s at 624 Yellowstone Ave. and deliver the turkeys to the Idaho Foodbank on S. 1st Ave at the conclusion of the food drive on Nov. 18.

The bike ride is open to the public and begins at 10 a.m.

Ken Stanek, who organized the first Cranksgiving event in New York, said the Pocatello version is a bit different than the ones held out east, which are usually canned food drives held each November. Rarely are whole turkeys involved.

However, he said he has been impressed with Southeast Idaho’s efforts to feed families in need every autumn.

“I think 1,000 turkeys donated is incredible for any area,” Stanek said.

UPDATE: Cranksgiving donations approaching 1,000 turkeys

******Update: Friday, Nov. 17******

After a slow start, the Pocatello community has stepped up and donated hundreds of frozen turkeys to the annual Cranksgiving food drive. As of Friday, the total turkey count is 837, up from only 33 a week ago. 

However, Cranksgiving organizers are striving for 1,000 frozen turkeys by Saturday morning. To donate, bring cash, a check or a frozen turkey to Barrie’s Ski and Sports at 624 Yellowstone Avenue in Pocatello. 

The turkeys will be donated to the Idaho Foodbank and will be used to give Southeast Idaho families in need a traditional Thanksgiving meal.

To read more about Cranksgiving and the hunger epidemic in Southeast Idaho, read the original story published online last week:

******Original Story******

POCATELLO — Over the past few years, the annual Cranksgiving food drive has provided more than 2,500 frozen turkeys to the Idaho Foodbank in Pocatello.

In 2016 alone, organizers delivered 1,067 turkeys, which helped provide families in need across the region with a traditional Thanksgiving meal.

But despite the large number of birds donated to the food drive over the years, Tami Parris, who started Pocatello’s Cranksgiving food drive in 2014, said the event’s organizers are currently struggling.

As of Friday, only 33 turkeys and $1,100 have been donated towards this year’s Cranksgiving event. That leaves organizers with about one week left to meet their goal of supplying 1,000 turkeys to the Idaho Foodbank.

“This year we are hurting pretty bad,” Parris said. “We’re behind the curve.”

Being behind schedule with donations has been troubling for the people who work closely with Cranksgiving, including Parris and Barrie Hunt, the owner of Barrie’s Ski and Sports. Their goal is to make sure everybody in Southeast Idaho has a traditional holiday meal on Thanksgiving.

“We don’t want anybody to go hungry or be turned away,” Hunt said.

Jim Beitz, Eastern Idaho Branch Manager of the Idaho Foodbank, said hunger is an “enormous” problem in the region. His branch, which is located in Pocatello, serves 16 eastern Idaho counties and provides 28,000 people with food each month.

The only requirement for people to receive food from the Idaho Foodbank is to ask. However, that is difficult for many, as they tend to feel ashamed for the situation they find themselves in.

Beitz said those who ask for food at their facility at 555 S. First Ave. often stumble over their words when they ask for help.

“The vast majority of the people that we serve work for a living and they just don’t have enough,” he said.

However, Beitz said his organization is barely scratching the surface when it comes to addressing the hunger problem in the region. He said that food insecurity affects 51,000 people in East Idaho, including 9,000 children, which is far more people than his organization has reached.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture measures food insecurity as those who do not have access to enough food to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

In November each year, Beitz said food drives like Cranksgiving are important for his organization to ensure families in the region have a traditional Thanksgiving meal. Even with Cranksgiving donating 1,000 turkeys, he said his organization still doesn’t meet 100 percent of the need, but it does provide a positive impact.

Since Cranksgiving was started, the organizers have gotten a front row seat to the hunger problem in East Idaho.

During a previous food drive, Hunt recalls asking one gentleman to donate a turkey to Cranksgiving. The man’s response was both surprising and humbling.

“I asked him to come and bring a turkey, and he said ‘I’m one that needs a turkey. I got one last year and it was the best thing on my plate,’” Hunt said.

Known as a “food drive on two wheels,” Cranksgiving was originally started in New York City in 1999 and has expanded to approximately 80 cities across the globe through grassroots efforts.

Parris launched a version of Cranksgiving in Pocatello in 2014 after she heard about the food drive on NBC’s Today show. When she heard that the Idaho Foodbank needed 600 turkeys for Thanksgiving that year, she teamed up with Barrie’s Ski and Sports and state Sen. Roy Lacey to meet the quota.

Each year since then, Cranksgiving has received more and more turkeys from donors, and Parris doesn’t want to come up short this year.

“The reason we do this is because somebody has to do it,” Parris said. “Right now times are so tough that people need it more than ever, and I think it’s a good time for people to show their compassion and take care of one another.”

Those wishing to contribute to the event can donate a turkey or turkeys to the freezer at Barrie’s Ski and Sports. Donors can also provide cash or a check made out to “Cranksgiving” while at Barrie’s.

And owing to its roots as a biking event, cyclists will ride from Barrie’s at 624 Yellowstone Ave. and deliver the turkeys to the Idaho Foodbank on S. 1st Ave at the conclusion of the food drive on Nov. 18.

The bike ride is open to the public and begins at 10 a.m.

Ken Stanek, who manages the initial Cranksgiving event held annually in New York, said the Pocatello version is a bit different than the ones held out east, which are usually canned food drives held each November. Rarely are whole turkeys involved.

However, he said he has been impressed with Southeast Idaho’s efforts to feed families in need every autumn.

“I think 1,000 turkeys donated is incredible for any area,” Stanek said.

HAMMER TIME — New Thor’s Trials Race will provide epic test for athletes

POCATELLO — In true Viking fashion, the participants who complete the Thor’s Trials Race this weekend will end their journey by picking up a giant hammer and hitting a gong.

The Thor’s Trials Race is a new competition that will be held on Saturday at the East Fork Mink Creek Nordic Center south of Pocatello.

The 10K mountain obstacle race will utilize the area’s existing ski trails to test the competitors’ balance, strength, endurance and agility. As participants make there way along the rugged 6.2-mile course, they will be tested with 20 obstacles, such as a boulder carry and a spear toss.

All of the obstacles will take on a nordic aesthetic. For example, the ropes used in the tight rope obstacle are made from natural fibers. Instead of steel, the balance beams will be made of logs.

At one obstacle that would make Thor proud, competitors will smash a cinderblock using a large hammer.

According to Lance Clark, the outdoor supervisor for the Pocatello Parks and Recreation Department, the Thor’s Trials Race is a new type of event for athletes looking for another box to check off.

“A lot of the participants have already checked off the triathlon, the trail race, the marathon and the half marathon, and they are looking for a new challenge,” Clark said.

Though this is the first time the Thor’s Trials Race has been hosted by Pocatello Parks and Rec, it has already attracted attention in the region. Two hundred people have already registered for the event, with some of the competitors traveling into the Gate City from Boise and Utah.

In the end, the winners will go home with epic bragging rights — and a giant hammer as a trophy, of course.

For additional information, visit the event’s website at www.pocatello.us/679/Thors-Trials-Race. A link to register is available on the website. For a solo competitor, the registration fee is $100, while the fee for a team of four is $360.

East Idaho man rescues antelope from barbed wire fence (with video)

SPENCER — Bret Lee thought it was odd that a female pronghorn antelope was just standing on the side of the road.

It was the end of August, and Lee was driving near the town of Spencer approximately 60 miles north of Idaho Falls when he spotted the female antelope.

“Usually they run off when you get close to them, so I thought something was wrong,” he said.

Eventually, the female antelope jumped a cattle guard and ran off, but the animal’s unusual behavior sparked Lee’s curiosity. He stopped the vehicle and looked around the area.

It was then that he spotted a second antelope, but this one had two of its legs stuck in a barbed wire fence nearby.

“He was flopping around pretty good,” Lee said. “He wouldn’t have made it very long. It was a hot afternoon.”

Luckily, Lee was able to retrieve some wire cutters from his camper. But before he went to free the ensnared antelope, he decided to videotape the animal rescue operation with his cellphone camera.

“I wanted to prove to my family that I did this,” he laughs. “Usually, they don’t believe what I tell them.”

As he struggled to hold his camera with one hand, he cut one of the barbed wire strands with the wire cutter in his other hand.

“I chose a wire, held the camera and did everything I could not to get kicked at the same time,” he laughs.

With one snip of the barbed wire, the antelope was freed. The antelope then jumped back on its hooves and ran off. The video ends with the animal stopping for a few seconds, kicking up one of his hind legs and then continuing toward the horizon.

Born in Colorado, Lee has resided in East Idaho since his youth. Currently, he lives in Lewisville in Jefferson County.

Ironically, this wasn’t the first time he has had to come to the rescue of a wild animal stuck in a fence.

Approximately two years ago, Lee was with his brother when they came across a herd of elk standing on the road. Like with the antelope last month, the elk didn’t seemed to be scared off by the human presence in their immediate vicinity.

Upon closer examination, they spotted a young cow elk off in the distance stuck in a fence.

“She thought she was doomed when we came up on her,” Lee said. “She was screaming and crying.”

However, the ensnared elk stopped crying once Lee and his brother freed her from the fence.

East Idaho man rescues antelope from barbed wire fence

SPENCER — Bret Lee thought it was odd that a female pronghorn antelope was just standing on the side of the road.

It was the end of August, and Lee was driving near the town of Spencer approximately 60 miles north of Idaho Falls when he spotted the female antelope.

“Usually they run off when you get close to them, so I thought something was wrong,” he said.

Eventually, the female antelope jumped a cattle guard and ran off, but the animal’s unusual behavior sparked Lee’s curiosity. He stopped the vehicle and looked around the area.

It was then that he spotted a second antelope, but this one had two of its legs stuck in a barbed wire fence nearby.

“He was flopping around pretty good,” Lee said. “He wouldn’t have made it very long. It was a hot afternoon.”

Luckily, Lee was able to retrieve some wire cutters from his camper. But before he went to free the ensnared antelope, he decided to videotape the animal rescue operation with his cellphone camera.

“I wanted to prove to my family that I did this,” he laughs. “Usually, they don’t believe what I tell them.”

As he struggled to hold his camera with one hand, he cut one of the barbed wire strands with the wire cutter in his other hand.

“I chose a wire, held the camera and did everything I could not to get kicked at the same time,” he laughs.

With one snip of the barbed wire, the antelope was freed. The antelope then jumped back on its hooves and ran off. The video ends with the animal stopping for a few seconds, kicking up one of his hind legs and then continuing toward the horizon.

Born in Colorado, Lee has resided in East Idaho since his youth. Currently, he lives in Lewisville in Jefferson County.

Ironically, this wasn’t the first time he has had to come to the rescue of a wild animal stuck in a fence.

Approximately two years ago, Lee was with his brother when they came across a herd of elk standing on the road. Like with the antelope last month, the elk didn’t seemed to be scared off by the human presence in their immediate vicinity.

Upon closer examination, they spotted a young cow elk off in the distance stuck in a fence.

“She thought she was doomed when we came up on her,” Lee said. “She was screaming and crying.”

However, the ensnared elk stopped crying once Lee and his brother freed her from the fence.

S.E. Idaho hunters rescued after surviving night in the wilderness

INKOM — Lonnie Labbee and Andrew Blomquist found themselves in a major predicament while bowhunting in the Inman Canyon area northeast of Inkom on Saturday.

While maneuvering around the numerous ridges and mountains looking for deer, they went down in a canyon but couldn’t get out.

What was even worse was that Labbee, a 50-year-old Pocatello resident, did not have his diabetes medication with him and was suffering from chest pains and extreme dry mouth, which gave him severe coughing fits.

Labbee told his hunting partner to go ahead without him. But Blomquist, a 28-year-old Inkom resident, flatly refused to leave Labbee behind.

“I knew I had to stay with him,” Blomquist said. “I told him ‘no man left behind’ and that we would have a better chance of survival if we stuck together.”

Webb Creek

At that time, they were near the headwaters of Webb Creek. Knowing that the creek would lead them somewhere close to Inkom, they decided to head downstream. However, because the hills surrounding the stream were so steep, they had to trek directly through the creek’s cold waters.

Neither Labbee nor Blomquist had adequate clothing or gear for the journey through the creek. For example, Labbee said he was wearing pants, a T-shirt and tennis shoes and only had his bow, two pistols and a BIC lighter.

“Sometimes we were in waist-deep water,” Labbee said. “I fell down multiple times and was soaked from head to toe.”

What was even more troubling was the absence of wildlife. There were no animals that they could feast on in case their situation turned especially dire. Earlier in the day, their search for deer also came up empty.

However, their decision to stay close to the creek ensured they would stay hydrated and that Labbee would have plenty of water so his mouth and throat wouldn’t get dry. Whenever his throat became too parched, he would violently cough and vomit.

“I must have drank 10 gallons of water from that creek,” he said.

Once the sun set and nighttime fell, Labbee and Blomquist found a small clearing to bed down for the night. They assembled some firewood and created makeshift beds out of some leaves. These beds were not very comfortable.

But despite being wet and cold from their march through the creek, Labbee was able to use his damp BIC lighter to start a small fire.

“It lit right up,” he said. “I was shocked.”

Every hour through the night, they put some more wood on the fire while trying to get some rest. They were hoping that somebody would see the flames and come to their rescue.

Search and Rescue

At approximately 8 p.m. Saturday, Labbee had called his wife from his cellphone. Before the line went dead, he told her that he and Blomquist were lost and that he was having chest pains.

Despite numerous attempts, she could not reconnect with her husband, so she promptly reported him missing to the Bannock County Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff’s deputies and search and rescue personnel from both Bannock and Caribou counties launched an intense search for the men. An emergency helicopter from the Portneuf Medical Center and at least one civilian aircraft participated in the search, which began Saturday night and continued Sunday morning.

The families of both Labbee and Blomquist were also involved in the search efforts. Blomquist said some of his relatives even beat search and rescue personnel to the scene. Blomquist’s mom left Las Vegas for Southeast Idaho as soon as she learned that her son was missing.

At around 11:30 p.m. Saturday, authorities located Stan Wallerstedt, 69, of Inkom, who was in a pickup truck in Inman Canyon. Wallerstedt was hunting with Labbee and Blomquist earlier in the day. But when his partners didn’t return, he waited in the truck.

Though Wallerstedt was safe at that time, Labbee and Blomquist’s whereabouts were still unknown.

Daybreak

Labbee said that the minute the sun’s rays were visible on Sunday morning, he and Blomquist started moving again.

This time, they were able to climb up a ridge to get an eagle eye view of the area. Despite being surrounded by wilderness, they were able to spot a house near the Rapid Creek area approximately 5 miles away, which reassured them that they were heading in the right direction.

They continued their hike downstream throughout the morning hours on Sunday.

At approximately 10:30 a.m., they came across a dirt access road. They hadn’t walked more than 100 feet on the dirt road before they were located by search and rescue personnel, who were combing the area on their ATVs.

Remarkably, neither Labbee nor Blomquist were injured from the experience, even though they had spent more than 12 hours soaking wet in the cold, mountainous wilderness.

After eating and being cleared by medical personnel, Labbee and Blomquist went home.

Labbee said he went back to his residence in Pocatello, took his diabetes medicine and immediately fell asleep.

“I came home and just passed out,” Labbee said. “I’m still sore as hell.”

On the other hand, Blomquist spent Sunday being reunited with his relieved family, including his mom.

Ironically, this is the second time in less than a week that a local resident had to follow a creek to find a way out of the wilderness.

On Thursday, 65-year-old Pocatello resident John Milburn was reported missing after he took a long detour while hiking on Mount Borah in central Idaho.

Like Labbee and Blomquist, Milburn spent a night in the wilderness, but he eventually found his way out by following a creek to safety.

Worst-Case Scenario

Labbee, Blomquist and their families said they want to extend a sincere thank you to the members of the search and rescue teams, as well as the aircraft personnel, for their efforts in locating the missing men.

Labbee is an experienced hunter, and he said he took Blomquist out on the weekend to help get him acquainted with hunting in the backcountry. Though the hunt didn’t go as planned, it was something they were glad they went through as outdoorsmen.

“It was definitely an experience worth having,” Blomquist said. “It teaches you how to survive in a worst-case scenario.”

Pocatello man survives night in the wilderness on Mount Borah

POCATELLO — John Milburn learned the hard way that hikers should always stay on the trail. 

The Pocatello resident was reported missing on Thursday during a hike to the top of Mount Borah. Luckily, he was able to find his way out of the wilderness after taking an ill-advised detour near the summit of Idaho’s tallest mountain.

It all started on Thursday when Milburn and a neighbor, Joe Tomasco, took a trip to central Idaho to hike up Mount Borah.

Though 65 years old and retired, Milburn is an avid hiker who works out everyday. He often hikes the trails surrounding Pocatello and spent a large part of his life exploring the Appalachian range when he lived in Virginia.

After spending the night in Mackay, Milburn and Tomasco began their journey up the Borah Peak Trail early Thursday morning.

As they arrived at an area called Chicken Out Ridge, they met another hiker who was suffering from either anxiety or altitude sickness, which is not uncommon for many travelers at this point of the journey up Mount Borah. At approximately 11,000 feet, it’s named Chicken Out Ridge for a reason.

Tomasco offered to assist the ailing hiker back down to the trailhead, which left Milburn by himself to march to the summit.

“My wife never likes it when I hike alone, but I went forward,” he said.

At around noon on Thursday, Milburn had summited the 12,665-foot peak, which provides miles of picturesque views of the Lost River Range.

He took in the sights and then began his journey back to the trailhead. That’s when the trouble began.

On his way down, Milburn decided to take what he thought would be a minor detour off the Borah Peak Trail. He quickly found himself on the side of the mountain where standing on his own two feet was nearly impossible. About half-way down, he thought to himself, “wrong move.”

“I shouldn’t have done it,” he said about the detour. “I was sliding on my butt most of the way down. … I wore the seat of my pants out.”

Soon, he encountered a creek filled with raging water. Judging from maps of the Mount Borah area that he studied before the trip, he knew that this creek eventually wound its way near the Borah Peak Trailhead, which was where he initially began his journey with Tomasco earlier in the day.

But hiking alongside the creek turned out to be a seemingly never-ending nightmare.

“It was a pretty tough deal,” he said. “You try to walk along the bank, but there’s stuff everywhere.”

Soon his GPS system was damaged as he tried to maneuver past the large rocks and trees that dotted the creekside. 

Meanwhile, nightfall was approaching and Tomasco was back at the truck near the trailhead. When Milburn didn’t arrive, Tomasco reported that his friend was missing somewhere on the mountain.

Word spread quickly among Milburn’s friends and neighbors in Pocatello that he had apparently disappeared while on the hike.

But with no cellphone reception, Milburn had no way to notify anybody of his whereabouts. As he trudged along in the darkness, he said he was concerned about his wife Becky, who was back in Pocatello.

“It was getting late and I knew she would be upset and worried,” he said. “But I kept going.”

All night, Milburn marched through the wilderness, with only a flashlight and the stars in the sky providing any illumination of his surroundings.

Then, as the sun began to rise, he came upon the road that led to the trailhead. 

He then left the creek and hiked another mile and a half up this road, where he found Tomasco in the truck at approximately 6:30 a.m. Friday, 24 hours after the hike to the summit began the day before. 

Tomasco had waited all night at the trailhead for Milburn to return. 

“I felt bad for Joe,” Milburn said. “He had to wait for so long.”

Back at his home on Friday afternoon, he said he was not injured from his experience and was in good spirits. However, if he could do it again, he said he would have definitely stayed on the main trail.

“It was a bit off the wall,” he said. “I shouldn’t have done it. It turned into a very stupid thing.”

Two new disc golf courses now open south of Pocatello

POCATELLO — Disc golfers now have two new courses in the Gate City area.

Last weekend, two professional-level 18-hole disc golf courses were opened to the public at the East Mink Creek Nordic Center south of Pocatello.

Called the Pocatello Sunrise Lions Club Disc Golf Complex, disc golf players can take advantage of a north and a south course. Each course provides approximately 2 and 1/2 miles of walking as players navigate through the existing ski trails and the surrounding mountain terrain.

According to Lance Clark, outdoor supervisor with the Pocatello Parks and Recreation Department, the skill levels of the 36 holes range from intermediate to expert.

However, park officials are able to move each of the baskets to provide disc golfers with more variety.

“These courses are going to challenge people,” Clark said. “You can get away with a lot of bad throws at other disc golf courses, but not here. If your disc goes off the fairway, it could take two or three strokes to get back on.”

Though the sport of disc golf dates back to the 1970s, it didn’t become widely popular until the 1990s.

The rules of disc golf are very similar to traditional golf. But instead of using clubs to hit golf balls, disc golf players throw flying discs in large metal baskets.

It is currently one of the fastest growing sports in the United States, with more than 6,800 courses across the world and more than 35,000 active members listed in the Professional Disc Golf Association’s directory in 2016.

Pocatello currently has three different disc golf courses of varying lengths, terrains and skill levels. These include the popular 9-hole course at Upper Ross Park, the 18-hole Sister City Park course off Pocatello Creek Road and the challenging 18-hole Bengal Ridge off West Buckskin Road.

There are also disc golf courses in Blackfoot, Lava Hot Springs, American Falls and Massacre Rocks State Park.

Though Clark said the two new courses at the East Mink Creek Nordic Center are not very beginner-friendly, city park officials expect them to be an economic driver to the region. There will be a local tournament sanctioned by the Professional Disc Golf Association this weekend, with more expected to be scheduled in the future.

“The quality of the course layout and the equipment will qualify it for the highest level of tournaments,” Clark said.

Plus, the courses’ unique setup is expected to attract avid disc golfers from around the region.

“We expect people to travel from Utah, Wyoming and Montana to spend the weekend playing on these courses,” Clark said. “They will be destination courses.”

The baskets have been installed, but a master map of the two courses is currently in the works, and each hole still needs par signage. Clark said that once the master map is completed, copies will be available at Infinite Discs at 2445 S. 5th Ave.

The Portneuf Health Trust donated $16,800 and the Pocatello Sunrise Lions Club donated $10,000 to help pay for the courses’ infrastructure, while members of the Portneuf Valley Disc Golf Club helped with the construction of the courses.

On Wednesday morning at 11 a.m., a check presentation will be held at the East Mink Creek Nordic Center, where the Portneuf Health Trust will give a $16,800 check to the city of Pocatello.

To visit the disc golf courses at the East Mink Creek Nordic Center, drive south on Mink Creek Road and then turn left on FS 001 Road/E. Fork Mink Creek. Drive approximately 1.6 miles and then turn right on the dirt road marked by the East Mink Creek Nordic Center sign. Follow the dirt road to the parking lot.

East Idaho survivors’ guide to the 2017 Great American Eclipse

East Idaho residents will have a front-row seat to a rare, once-in-a-lifetime astronomical event on Monday.

But the local population won’t be alone for the big show. The Great American Eclipse, which will occur around 11:30 a.m. Monday, is expected to bring hundreds of thousands of eclipse watchers to the region, possibly the most people the region has ever seen at one time.

This sudden influx of people is expected to put massive pressure on East Idaho’s infrastructure and cause potentially deadly situations for both visitors and residents alike.

However, the state’s police and emergency managers are providing tips on how both residents and visiting eclipse viewers can protect themselves from traffic hazards, crime, fires and potential cell phone service outages.

For one, officials say that anybody traveling around the region on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday need to be prepared for traffic delays, congestion and extended travel times.

Since last year, Idaho State Police has been working with numerous other state agencies to prepare for the onslaught of traffic expected on east Idaho’s roadways. It’ll be all hands on deck for the troopers in Idaho State Police’s District 5 office in Pocatello. The District 5 office will have one patrol every 15 miles between the Utah border and Shelley.

Luckily, the Idaho Transportation Department has temporarily suspended all of the construction projects currently underway on Interstate 15 to help ease traffic woes. Construction will begin again on Wednesday.

But with potential bumper-to-bumper traffic, particularly in the hours after the eclipse, state officials are advising any travelers to make sure they have a full tank of gas before they go anywhere, even if it is normally a short trip.

“Even if you are only going 20 miles, you and thousands of other people might be going the same way,” said Elizabeth Duncan, public affairs officer with the Idaho Office of Emergency Management.

Duncan said it is vital that motorists carry plenty of food and water in case they are stuck in traffic for extended periods of time. She said the vehicle should have 1 gallon of water for each person and each pet.

But besides stocking up on food, water and fuel for trips over the next few days, Captain Eric Dayley of the Idaho State Police said motorists also need to bring something else on the road with them.

“We want people to bring an ample supply of patience,” Dayley said. “There’s going to be a lot of traffic. Probably the most traffic I’ve seen in my 33-year career.”

To prevent the accidental ignition of a wildfire, the Idaho Office of Emergency Management is asking motorists to avoid pulling off onto the side of the road.

“We are in the middle of a wildfire season and there’s a lot of cheatgrass and combustible elements on the side of the roads right now,” Duncan said. “It creates a terrible hazard for everybody.”

In the right conditions, vehicles can spark deadly fires. On Tuesday in north-central Montana, an Ohio woman died after the vehicle she was traveling in ignited a series of grass fires as it moved down a grass-covered road. The flames spread to the vehicle, lighting it ablaze and killing the woman, according to the Associated Press.

Another major issue that the state’s emergency managers said residents and visitors need to prepare for is the possible disruption of cellphone and Wi-Fi services across the region due to so many people overloading the local networks.

“There’s a high likelihood that cellphone service won’t be as reliable in certain areas of Idaho,” Duncan said. “Just remember that texts usually get through faster than a voice call.”

Officials are also advising that both residents and travelers should stay close to a landline phone in case cellphone services go down.

If landline internet services become unavailable, some gas stations and convenience stores might not be able to process purchases with debit or credit cards.

Due to this possibility, Dayley said it is a good idea for travelers to carry some cash with them, at least enough to purchase food, water and enough fuel to fill up the gas tank.

Carrying cash leads to another potential problem. With so many groups of people coming to East Idaho, authorities are also preparing for a possible increase in crime and the presence of pickpockets.

“You should have enough of what you need, but don’t go running around with 40K in your pocket,” Dayley said. “Use common sense. People should make sure to lock their doors and lock their cars.”

And when the main event finally arrives on Monday and eclipse totality occurs, those lucky enough to view it in East Idaho need to protect their eyes.

By using a pinhole projector or a special pair of eclipse glasses that can be purchased at many area gas stations and stores, residents will be able to witness the astronomical event without suffering severe eye damage.

Lou Tomososki is a 70-year-old Oregon man who watched a partial solar eclipse with his naked eyes in 1962. Though he only looked at the eclipse for a few seconds, he told the Today Show that his right eye was permanently damaged from the experience. He still has vision problems 55 years later.

“Nothing has changed,” Tomososki told the Today Show about the condition of his right eye. “It doesn’t get any worse or better.”

For live traffic updates during the next few days, motorists can visit the Idaho Transportation Department’s 511 website at hb.511.idaho.gov, or download the 511 app for either Apple and Android devices. Emergency-related public information will be posted on social media under the hashtag #IdEclipseUpdates.

Moose wanders into Pocatello neighborhood

POCATELLO — A moose paid a visit to some Pocatello homeowners on Tuesday morning.

According to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, a young cow moose was reported to be running loose near the intersection of Alameda Road and Monte Vista Drive in the east part of town at approximately 8:30 a.m. Tuesday.

When Fish and Game officials arrived on the scene, the moose was in a residential backyard, enjoying the shade of a tree.

By approximately 9:45 a.m., officials had successfully tranquilized the animal and removed it from the area. Fish and Game said the moose was then transported to an isolated location near Soda Springs and let back into the wild.

No injuries or property damages were reported.

Fish and Game said there are two times a year when conservation officers respond to an increase in the number of calls involving moose wandering into urban areas.

The first time is during the spring, when pregnant cows begin to push away their yearlings. The second time is during the hot summer months of July and August, when the hills dry out and food and water became scarce. In response to the conditions, it is not uncommon for moose to wander into towns and cities looking for food, water and shade from the sun.

“This time of year we see a lot of moose on green lawns and under sprinklers,” said Merritt Horsmon, regional wildlife biologist with Idaho Fish and Game.

There have been multiple cases of moose wandering into Pocatello this year.

On Easter, a young bull moose caused a bit of a stir as it wandered around Old Town. The moose was spotted at Pocatello High School, near residences on West Halliday Street and at Centennial and Rainey parks. Eventually, the moose returned to its natural habitat on its own.

Two months earlier, numerous residents saw a moose wandering around the Casa Del Rio apartments on West Lewis Street before heading back into the wild.