Things We Do

		Photos Starting at Top Left Mike Tucker handles the technical end of groundwater monitoring for the Bliss Nitrate Project Click on the home page link BLISS NITRATE PROJECT - to read how the District has partnered with NRCS and DEQ to spearhead a plan to clean nitrates out of groundwater in an area near Bliss, Idaho. FAIR BOOTH- The Gooding Soil Conservation District joins in the celebration of Gooding County Fair and the Theme "Rise and Shine in 2009" 2009 SPEECH CONTEST - The Gooding Soil Conservation hosted there annual speech contest and this year the winner was Allison Flora of Gooding High School. Allison won $50.00 and the opportunity to go on to another level (Division IV) and win more money and touch more people with her message. This year the theme is The Secrets of Soil "Dig It" and we are excited for Allison to represent the GSCD with a chance of going to the state level. POSTER CONTEST - Leah Juarraos, NRCS Soil Scientist, and Barbara Astle, Admimistrative Assitant, give a soil presentation to all Gooding County 5th graders. Barbara and Leah wanted to give the students some ideas for the new theme which was "The Secrets of Soil" Dig It! Winners from each school would be given T-shirts and the overall Winners from Gooding County received money as well. TREES AGAINST THE WIND - The Gooding SCD organized a group of students from the Gooding High School to help plant trees for a windbreak project for Mr. Mike Faulkner . It was Mr. Woodland's FFA organization and Becky Freiberg's Envirothon group that were the muscles and force behind it all. The Gooding SCD's program is to help reduce accidents on Highway 46 between Gooding and Wendell by planting living windbreaks. Look for the signs that say Trees Against the Wind.

Pictured is Steve Miller, IASCD president and Camas SCD supervisor introducing the legislators to an audience of supervisors, staff and county personnel in Legislative District 25.

Annual Legislative Luncheon

by Barbara Astle

Carl Pendleton, chairman of the Wood River SCD MC's a meeting with the surrounding Soil Conservation District's, county Commissioner's and Representatives: Wendy Jaquet and Donna Pence, Jerry Nancy, Jay Loesche, Commissioners elect Marsha Hiatt and Charlie Ritter. Michelle Aoi speaking on "Water is Life". Carey High School Group "To the Max" to open our meeting.

A very productive and well attended meeting to talk to legislator's one on one about issues concerning each District; Gooding, Camas, Blaine and Wood River. It also gave Legislator t he opportunity to ask questions and point out heir positions on issues that would effect the Districts.

Editor's Note: The annual Legislative Luncheon provides a forum for the four District to meet with the legislators of voting District 25.The Districts each showcased an activity of value to the legislators, although Gooding chose to use their "Funding Tree" theory that describes the trickle-up theory of District funding and how a dollar given to the District can blossom into a thousand or more through local, state and federal dollars available through District programs. State Representatives (Dem.) Donna Pence and Wendy Jaquet discussed the legislative issues of interest to the Districts, including the funding problems presented by the new Gooding Charter School. Polly Huggins, with the Wood River RC&D, described a grant she is working on that would fund a position for a grant writer specifically finding grants for the four districts represented at the meeting. State Senator Clint Stennent had canceled because of ill health.