We have Free Apricots You pick, Good for Jam or for canning, Call Annabell Perkins 584-3505 or just drop by.

Jan Reed

Emmett couple walks away from plane crash | KTVB.COM Boise

Emmett couple walks away from plane crash KTVB.COM Boise

UPDATE ON LAN AND HIS WIFE

Messenger Index, serving Gem County
We just heard that Lan and Pam Smith are back in Emmett after their plane crashed yesterday in Atlanta. They have some bumps and bruises but are doing well.
15 · Like · · 10 minutes ago

TRIANGLE IS SHOWING "SODA SPRINGS-The Movie" TOMORROW NIGHT

Triangle Resturant is showing "Soda Springs-The Movie" again tomorrow night.  If you haven't seen the movie, make tomorrow night "date night" and enjoy homemade lasagna (regular menu also available) and a good movie that was shot locally.

CLOSE CALL FOR LAN SMITH AND HIS WIFE!

Messenger Index, serving Gem County
Gem County Commissioner Lan Smith and his wife, Pamela, escaped injury in a plane crash on Monday morning. Elmore County officials say they escaped injury when their Cessna airplane crashed at the end of an airstrip in central Idaho, according to the Houston Chronicle.

WITH FANTASTIC LIGHTNING COMES..

...yes, fire.  This morning both Sweet and Ola Fire Departments were dispatched to two separate fires. The "tone out" came about 7:45AM, with Sweet on their way to the area of Pine Creek and Sage Hen Roads and Ola at a fire north on upper Third Fork.  Both fires are now in the hands of IDL.  Great job guys, we love ya!!

JUST FOR FUN!

At Saturday night's meeting the subject of "unions" came up in talking about the Post Office.  In looking on the Internet this is what I came up with....you have the:

NAPFE--that's for federal postal employees
RLCA--for the Rural Carriers
NPMHA---for mail handlers
APWU--the postal workers
NALU---the letter carriers

oh and there's the

NLP--National League of Postmasters

The community get together Saturday evening was well attended.  It was apparent that several in the community are concerned about the potential closure of the Post Office or maybe they just like ice cream.  Gloria relayed information that she had received from her conversation with Linda Pickett of the USPS.  She also gave everyone a handout on the upcoming procedure and what we can do to help keep our Post Office, including names and contact information.  Joyce also took a few minutes and reported on our terrific Relay For Life team, the "Ola Rough Striders".  We did such a great job thanks to all of you!  After all that we had a delicious potluck dinner followed by, yes, homemade ice cream.  Doesn't get much better than that!

IDAHO PRESS TRIBUNE-August 11, 2011-OPINION

I am retyping this as the copy does not scan.  This is from the Idaho Press-Tribune, August 11, 2011, OPINION page:

Pension system is Postal Service's problem

I have been a letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service for the past 33 years, working in my hometown of Pocatello, and I want to offer the real facts in this time of economic uncertainty about the Postal Service.

First of all, the Postal Service receives no tax dollars.  Our revenue comes from the sale of products and services.  Over the last four years, revenues derived from delivering the mail exceeded costs by $837 million; last quarters net operating profit alone was $226 million.

What about those news reports of multi-billion dollar losses?  Well, the $20 billion losses over the last four years have nothing to do with what you've been told about a failing business model or obsolete service.  The real facts are this:  in 2006, Congress mandated that the Postal Service pre-fund future retiree health benefits for the next 75 years, and do so within a decade-something no other agency or private firm does.  The resulting annual payments run $5.5 billion a year, costing the Postal Service $21 billion since 2007.

Remove that unreasonable obligation and the Postal Service would have been profitable.

The solution to this problem is this:  let the Postal Service stop depleting its operational funds to make these pre-funding payments using our own pension surpluses, as any responsible business would do, using no taxpayer involvement.  Once we can accomplish this, the Postal Service can adjust to the changing needs of residents and businesses with the dedication and professionalism that have led the public to name us the nation's most trusted federal workers six years in a row.

**John Paige, President, Idaho State Association of Letter Carriers

ATTENTION!

ATTENTION Gem County! The National Weather Service has issued a RED FLAG WARNING for the area roughly North of the Payette River which includes the North Foothills, Squaw Butte, Sweet & Ola. The Forecast is for widely scattered thunderstorms with little rain and high wind. That coupled with our dry vegetation could produce explosive wildfire potential. Visit  http://gcfd1.com for further information.
Please note that the fire warning status for Gem County District 1 and Sweet may differ from the  status of Ola.

MAKE SURE YOU USE YOUR BUG SPRAY!

Messenger Index, serving Gem County
Mosquitoes collected in a trap on Aug. 23, during routine surveillance within the central portion of the Gem County Mosquito Abatement District (GCMAD), have tested positive for West Nile virus.

MASSAGE THERAPY IN SWEET OR IN THE COMFORTS OF YOUR OWN HOME

Deby Hopping and her husband are new residents to Sweet.  They moved here from Arkansas where she was a Licensed Massage Therapist.  A good massage sounds great after a long day on the tractor, irrigating or maybe just a nice gift for someone special.  Give Deby a call, she has references from local residents. 

I have plenty of yellow crook-neck squash, would anyone like some?  I also will have, more than we can eat, spaghetti squash.  If you would like some, give me a call.  Is your garden producing more than you can use and you would like to share, call me and I will add your items to the post.

**Darlene Mingus has rhubard if anybody wants some.

PLEASE TAKE TIME TO COMPLETE THE ON-LINE SURVEY...

...go to the link above "Please complete the on-line survey.." Read the letter then click on the link at the bottom of the post.  The results of this survey will be discussed at the County Commissioners meeting in Ola on September 26th.

FIRE TRAINING TOMORROW NIGHT!!

LADIES CLUB/ICE CREAM SOCIAL/POTLUCK/COMMUNITY MEETING

SATURDAY, August 27th Ladies Club is having their Ice Cream Social at the Hall.  This will also be a potluck and a community meeting to discuss the Post Office possible closure.  Ladies Club is to meet at 4:00PM for a quick club meeting, with the Social/Potluck/community meeting starting at 5:00PM.  Please attend! Some valuable information will be shared on the keeping of our Post Office and the ice cream is really, really delicious!!

2011 OLA ROUGH STRIDERS/RELAY FOR LIFE

Our Team

Two of our survivors.

As most of you know, the Ola Post Office is on "the list" for closure.  We need to prevent this from happening!  The person with the U.S. Postal Service that needs to hear our concerns is- Linda Pickett, U.S. Postal Service, Salt Lake City District Office-1-801-974-2547.  She is the Consumer Affairs person.  She needs to hear that for the community of Ola, it is imperative that our full service post office stay open for just a few of the following reasons:

• If Ola closes, the nearest full service post office would be-33 miles to Emmett or 32 miles to Horseshoe Bend.
• Internet access is limited to our residents for printing on-line labels for flat rate boxes, buying stamps, etc. Our Internet access, for some is unreliable, for others not within their fixed income budget and for others, age hinders their desire or ability to learn the computer world.
• Our community relys heavily on our full service post office for certified letters, money orders, package mailing and receiving.  
• A "Village" post office wouldn't work, with only one business in Ola, the hours and service wouldn't "service" the community needs.
• Community boxes (the big, multi-mail boxes you see at the entrance of some subdivisions) wouldn't work because certified letters and large packages would still have to be picked up 32 or 33 miles away.
• The Ola Post Office is the gateway for the residents of High Valley.  HV residents rely on Ola for mail because they don't have winter access to their mail in Smith's Ferry.
• By closing rural post offices, the United States Postal Service is taking the "service" part out.
• We would lose our identity, we are and want to stay from Ola-83657!

These are a few of the points we need to make. It is also important to emphasize that this lady probably has no idea where Ola is or how important our post office is compared to others which are not so isolated.  Please take the time to call this lady, our full service post office depends on it.  The only way we're going to have an impact is for everyone to call  Linda Pickett@1-801-974-2547

Dorthy Beal would like to thank everyone for their thoughtfulness.  She enjoyed the cards, visits, phone calls and flowers so very much.  She is now resting comfortably in beautiful  High Valley.

The Ola Library would like to thank all the people
who supported the library's 2 book and yard sales.
Besides the Sweetheart Dinner, this is our only
way of raising extra money for the library to run.
Judie would also like to thank the board members
for all their hard work in setting up at the Montour
Country Store, Harry McCaulou and Gary Rau for the use
of their pickup trucks for loading, unloading, and hauling
all those books, Joanie Leyba for helping out Sunday morning
in my absence, and thanks to Amanda Schmitt for helping
Grandma Judie haul and unload the leftover items.  Thank you
Montour Country Store for setting this up and being such
gracious hosts.

Judie McCaulou, board chairman
Linda Rau, vice chairman
Reeta Farr, treasurer
Tia Andelin, clerk
Shannon Miller, trustee
Mary Lee Blackford, librarian

FIRE DANGER BACK TO...VERY HIGH..

Groups ask court to halt Idaho wolf hunts | KTVB.COM Boise

Groups ask court to halt Idaho wolf hunts KTVB.COM Boise

Does anyone know where the "Levi and Dara" sign is that was at Triangle?

REMINDER!!

If you are planning on traveling to Emmett in the AM, remember that the Emmett Triathlon is being held at Black Canyon Reservoir at 6AM.  Travel may be slow!

Also, the final "Ola Rough Striders" Relay For Life meeting in is the AM at 10:00.  We will be meeting at the Ola Inn.  This will be a meeting of our final details before the relay on Friday.  Hope everyone can attend!!

Monday, the 15th, chip sealing will begin on the Sweet-Ola Highway.  I suppose we can expect delays.

RATTLESNAKE AVOIDANCE SEMINAR

Messenger Index, serving Gem County
HUNTERS: Idaho Fish and game trap awareness and rattlesnake avoidance seminar - 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13 , contact the Idaho Fish and Game Nampa office at 465-8465. For more information regarding the training day, contact Heidi Funke at 463-2304.

FIRE DANGER BACK TO HIGH...

FREE PUPPIES READY FOR A NEW HOME!

Amy has puppies, border collie/blue heeler/kelpie mix, ready for a forever home.  These puppies are free. These puppies will make excellent cow dogs.

SCHOOL SUPPLIES

I e-mailed Amy to see how we could help with school supplies this year, this is what she wrote back.

Each year the State Controllers Office provides all school supplies to a
chosen school in the state.  We, along with the Sweet School, have been
chosen to be the recipients this year. This means the children will have
everything on my school supply list except a backpack.  I do have a box of
backpacks for those who haven't had a chance to get one yet.
I am so grateful for all the help from the community for our school.  Their
support has helped us through many a rough patch. Right now we are trying
to save for more Science kits from Delta Science.  At this time we do not
have current science curriculum for second or third grade and the kits work
perfectly to cover that gap. Also, we love for the members of the community
to volunteer their time and skills with us.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE OLA 4-H CLUB!

The Ola 4-H Club had a good time at the Gem/Boise County Fair in August.  Check out more pictures from our 4-H club by clicking the link at the top of the page.

DINNER AND A MOVIE!!!

Each Wednesday, The Triangle will be having dinner and a movie night.  Tonight's dinner special is Lasagna w/sauteed veggies and garlic toast for $11.95.  The regular menu is available and the movie is free with dinner. Tonight's movie will be Soda Springs and will start at 6:30PM on their 106" projection screen. 

OLA ROUGH STRIDERS ROCK!!

Congratulations to the Ola Rough Striders!!!  With hard work, creative and fun fundraisers, generous donations and an amazing team captain, the Ola Rough Striders came in number 2 out of thirty-three Relay for Life teams.  This for being our first year is darn good!.  Job well done!  See you at the meeting Saturday!!

FIRE TRAINING TOMORROW NIGHT!!!

CHIP SEALING SWEET-OLA HIGHWAY

Gem County Road Department will be chip sealing the Sweet-Ola Highway August 15-18.  The chip sealing will be from Highway 52 to the end of the new oil.

THE BODY OF THE MISSING RAFTER HAS BEEN FOUND

Our sympathy and prayers for Keysha Fenton's family and friends.

Woman missing after rafting accident on Payette River | KTVB.COM Boise

Woman missing after rafting accident on Payette River KTVB.COM Boise

Search continues for possible drowning victim - Emmett Messenger-Index: Home

Search continues for possible drowning victim - Emmett Messenger-Index: Home

SEARCH FOR MISSING FEMALE

Messenger Index, serving Gem County

ANYONE INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING ON THE SEARCH
for the missing 18-year-old female missing on the Payette River call Dispatch and leave your name, resources and contact information. Dispatch 365-3521

MISSING RAFTER!!!

About 10PM tonight, Sweet Fire Department was called out to help in the search for a missing rafter on the Payette River. Hope all ends well!

The last Relay For Life meeting will be Saturday at 10:00AM.  The meeting will be at the Inn.  If you plan on walking on the 19th, please attend this meeting.  Joyce will be attending the team captain's meeting tomorrow night so she will have a lot of information to share.

The Hummingbird bander will be at Zeillemaker's Thursday morning about 9:00.  The banding will continue until they run out of new birds (2-4 hours).  A simple buffet lunch will follow.

Timber Butte Boise County Fire | KTVB.COM Boise

Timber Butte Boise County Fire KTVB.COM Boise

BUSY, BUSY, DAY FOR FIREFIGHTERS!

It was a busy day for Ola and Sweet firefighters.  Starting early this morning Sweet responded to a small burning barrel fire.  This was followed by the lightning.  Lightning strikes started two fires, one off the Sweet-Ola Highway, mile marker 14, and a larger one Northeast of Sweet.  The mile marker 14 fire was put out quickly but it took most of the day and into the evening to get the other one under control.  These guys work so hard, many, many thanks!

CONGRATULATIONS NATHAN AND BRANDON DUCKWORTH!!

2011 OLA LIBRARY SUMMER READING PROGRAM

    One World  Many Stories was the theme for the 2011 Ola Library Summer Reading Program.  Participants visited a different country each week.  They first located the country on the globe and on a world map and learned the country's word of greeting. They listened to a folktale, did an art project, played a game, and sampled a food representative of each country.  Countries visited included India, Chile, China, Scotland and South Africa.  Mark and Tia Andelin , dressed in traditional Chilean clothing, presented the program for Chile.  They included a demonstration of the national dance.

   Those who reached summer reading goals they had set for themselves included, Carrie Andelin, who participated in the Read-to-Me section of the program, Moises Chavez, John Slade, Lydia Slade, Anahi Chavez, Lily Heiple, Jiles Andelin, Katelyn Andelin, Spencer Andelin, Ulysses Chavez, Ezra Andelin. Also pictured, Judie McCaulou, library board chairman, and librarian, MaryLee Blackford. Not pictured, Linda Rau, who helped with the program each week.

 

Due to many scheduling conflicts, the Ola Forum with the County Commissioners that was scheduled for August 22nd, has been changed to September 26th.  Please mark your calendars.

‘Soda Springs’ receives warm reception - Idaho Press-Tribune: News

‘Soda Springs’ receives warm reception - Idaho Press-Tribune: News
It was a very good movie and so much fun to see so familiar places and faces that were the back drops for the movie. They did a great job at capturing the beauty of the valley that we live in. If you get a chance, it's a movie worth seeing!

CONGRATULATIONS!

AMY and LINDEN