By Journal Staff

A 32-year-old Fort Hall man who allegedly led Blackfoot police officers on a high-speed chase over the weekend and then resisted arrest, causing an officer to deploy a Taser twice, is facing charges.

Lamar Tissidimit is facing a felony count for fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer in a motor vehicle, and misdemeanor counts for resisting or obstructing officers, consuming or possessing an open container of alcohol, and failing to purchase a driver’s license, according to Bingham County Magistrate Court records. A hearing to determine if there is enough evidence to take the case to trial is set for July 23.

Lt. Shawn Hunter with the Blackfoot Police Department said the incident began when an officer attempted to stop Tissidimit, who was driving a 2000 Chevrolet Lumina, for speeding on West Bridge. The driver allegedly didn’t yield, but continued to Riverton Road and entered the Fort Hall Reservation.

Hunter said the vehicles reached speeds of close to 90 miles per hour before the suspect car pulled into a driveway.

Tissidimit then exited the vehicle and “put up a pretty good fight,” Hunter said, adding that one of the officers ended up deploying a Taser twice before the suspect was taken into custody.

There were also two other people in the vehicle: Kimball Dixey, 27, of Blackfoot, and Vilena Currie, 30, of Fort Hall. Fort Hall police arrested those individuals on alcohol-related charges, Hunter said.

Bingham County Sheriff’s Office also assisted in the incident.

FORT HALL — “Veterans of SNL” featuring Rob Schneider and Jon Lovitz, will be July 17 at 8 p.m., at the Shoshone-Bannock Hotel and Event Center in Fort Hall.

Tickets are available for $39, $49 and $59 at www.shobangaming.com. The show is for mature audiences only and all ticket sales are final.

Rob Schneider has been nominated for an Emmy for his work as an actor. He also claims credits in writing, directing and producing. He took a break from stand-up comedy for nearly 20 years, not returning until 2009. Since then he has gone on many international comedy tours. He is in post-production of a new comedy series that he has directed, co-wrote and will star in.

Along with his own show in Fort Hall, Schneider is concurrently touring with “Veterans of SNL” comedians Jon Lovitz, Chris Kattan and Tim Meadows.

PHOTO BY PICASA
Joey Runninghorse

News release

POCATELLO – Joaquin Broncho, 18, of Fort Hall, Idaho, has been indicted in the August 29, 2014, stabbing death of Joey Runninghorse, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced.

Broncho, also known as Joaquin Dancing Thunder Bluehorse, was indicted on a charge of second degree murder by the federal grand jury in Pocatello on July 28, 2015. Broncho was arraigned today in U.S. District Court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mikel H. Williams where Broncho entered a not guilty plea, and the case was set for jury trial in Pocatello on September 21, 2015.

Broncho is alleged to have stabbed the victim Joey Runninghorse with a knife on the Shoshone Bannock Indian Reservation. Broncho was previously charged as a juvenile in this case, but his case was transferred to adult court by Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill.

Second degree murder is punishable by up to life imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000.

The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Fort Hall Police Department.

An indictment is a means of charging a person with criminal activity. It is not evidence. The person is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

CYDNEY MCFARLAND/IDAHO STATE JOURNAL
Mexican Consul Celso Humberto Delgado-Ramirez, left, looks at art by tribal artists with Judge David Archuleta in Fort Hall.

BY CYDNEY MCFARLAND
cmcfarland@journalnet.com

Consul Celso Humberto Delgado-Ramirez from the Mexican Consulate in Boise came to visit Southeast Idaho on Friday after being appointed to the consul position in June.

Delgado-Ramirez replaced Mexico’s former consul to Idaho, Guillermo Ordorica. Before taking the job in Boise, Delgado-Ramirez served as the consul general to Montreal in Quebec, Canada, and also served as an ambassador to Argentina, Egypt and Cuba.

Delgado-Ramirez was appointed by the Mexican government and is responsible for protecting and promoting the interests of Mexican citizens in Idaho and representing the interests of the Mexican government.

The Mexican Consulate in Boise is in charge of Idaho as well as parts of Montana, Oregon and Nevada.

Friday was Delgado-Ramirez’s first trip to Southeast Idaho, and he spent the morning with Hank Gonzales, the host of the Spanish language public access show “La Voz Latina” as well as representatives of Inter-City Action Outreach, the Latino Economic and Development council and a representative of Sen. Mike Crapo. They discussed issues that face the local Latino community as well as diving in to a discussion on American politics.

When asked about the current presidential race, and specifically about GOP candidate Donald Trump, Delgado-Ramirez said, “We don’t participate in interior issues. Why? Because I still vote in Mexico. But it is his right to practice free speech. I don’t agree with what he says, but I respect his right.”

Delgado-Ramirez then went to visit Idaho State University before heading out to Fort Hall to meet with representatives of the Shoshone-Bannock tribes. Judge David Archuleta along with employees and managers of the Shoshone-Bannock Hotel showed the consul around the hotel, showing him portraits of the tribal elders and beauty queens.

It is also festival season in Fort Hall, so Consul Delgado-Ramirez was also able to view art by native artists. He met artist Derek No-Sun Brown who gifted the consul with one of his original prints. Archuleta also took the consul out to the horse relays where tribal members, instead of passing a batton, must quickly change horses before riding each leg of the relay.

“I’m very impressed with the art and with the people,” said Delgado-Ramirez. “We have to be next to our compatriots, know how he lives and his dreams. It is important in order to improve the relation that exists between North America and Mexico and between Idaho and Mexico.”

Agency Road on the northeast edge of Fort Hall was blocked by Fort Hall police vehicles after they responded to a report of a man with a gun at a nearby home Saturday afternoon. But the gun turned out to be a pellet rifle.

BY JOURNAL STAFF

FORT HALL — Fort Hall police responded to a report of a man with a gun on the roof of a rural home off Agency Road just north of the intersection with Eagle Road Saturday afternoon about 1:45 p.m., but the gun turned out to be a pellet rifle and the incident was resolved quickly.

Agency Road was blocked off by multiple patrol units until the facts were known. According to Fort Hall police captain Mark Massey, officers responded quickly and determined the facts.

“A neighbor had reported someone on the roof with what reportedly seemed to a rifle,” Massey said. “It turned out to a pellet rifle.”

Worley

IDAHO FALLS — The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes announced that Assistant Fire Chief Nigel T. Worley was been placed on investigative unpaid leave after criminal charges were filed against him in Bonneville County.

Worley, who is not Native American, is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

According to police reports, the charges stem from an incident that happened in the 800 block of Whittier Street in Idaho Falls just after midnight Saturday.

Officers were called to the scene to the report of an assault in progress.

The victim said that three men, including Worley, approached him outside his residence and started yelling at him.

During the incident, Worley allegedly threatened the man with a knife.

Officers stopped Worley at the corner of Whittier and North Wabash Avenue and arrested him.

In a press release Monday, the Shoshone Bannock Tribes said they were concerned about these serious allegations, but they declined to comment further on the pending case.

By JENNY HOPKINS
jhopkins@journalnet.com

FORT HALL — Comedian Bill Engvall, also known as the “Here’s Your Sign” guy, will bring his down home, redneck style comedy to the Shoshone-Bannock Hotel and Events Center on Sept. 25. There will be shows at 6:30 and 9 p.m.

Engvall is a member of the Blue Collar Comedy group, which also includes Jeff Foxworthy, Ron White and Larry the Cable Guy. His first album, “Here’s Your Sign” held the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Comedy Chart for 15 weeks and is certified platinum.

You may have also seen him on Season 17 of ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars,” or in his TBS sitcom “The Bill Engvall Show,” which he also produced.

Engvall was born in Galveston, Texas, but his father’s job with the U.S. Public Health Service caused the family to move frequently, which unbeknownst to him at the time, was what started his comedy career.

“I became the funny guy to make friends quick. It never crossed my mind that I’d be a comedian. I was going to school to be a school teacher. Teachers are comedians in their own right,” said Engvall in a recent telephone interview with the Journal.

He attended Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, with the intention of becoming a teacher, but his funny bone took over, and he began performing stand-up at open mic nights in local venues.

“I went to college and discovered women and beer, and studies went out the window,” he said.

He moved to California to pursue comedy and some of the early appearances that helped launched his career include the “The Tonight Show” and “Late Night with David Letterman.” In 1996, he appeared alongside Jeff Foxworthy in “The Jeff Foxworthy Show.”

Engvall is a clean comedian, meaning his routines do not include profanity or sexual content.

“It is a clean show that any body can come see,” he said, “I tell young comedians that you can talk about anything you want, just be clean about it.”

His future plans will of course include more comedy. He just finished a special that is due to be released early next year, but another upcoming endeavor is something completely different for him.

“I just signed a deal for a movie where I play a serial killer,” he said, adding that he likes to challenge himself.

Fans will also be able to see him in the upcoming film “Catching Faith” in which he portrays a football coach.

Ticket prices are $39, $49 and $59 and can be purchased at www.shobangaming.com. To get to the Shoshone-Bannock Hotel and Events Center take Interstate 15 to exit 80, the venue is located just west of the exit.

FBI NEWS RELEASE

The Salt Lake City Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pocatello Resident Agency, and the Fort Hall Police Department responded to reports of a shooting at the Eagle Court Trailer Park on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation on October 18, 2015.

FBI Special Agents and Officers with the Fort Hall Police Department continue to investigate the incident. We are able to confirm one individual was injured and transported to a local hospital. The shooter is still at large. Anyone with information regarding this shooting is requested to contact the Fort Hall Police Department.

By DEBBIE BRYCE
For the Journal

FORT HALL — The Salt Lake City Division of the FBI confirmed that one person was injured and transported to a local hospital following a shooting on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation Sunday.

The victim’s name was not released Monday and the victim’s condition was not immediately available.

In a press release Monday, FBI Special Agent Todd Palmer said the shooting happened at the Eagle Court Trailer Park in Fort Hall.

Palmer said the shooter is still at large.

Both Bannock and Bingham county officials responded to the shooting, but were called off when the FBI took charge of the case.

Anyone with information regarding this shooting is requested to contact the Fort Hall Police Department at 208-478-4000.

By Debbie Bryce
For the Journal

BLACKFOOT — Two Fort Hall men charged in connection to a stabbing during the Eastern Idaho State Fair in Blackfoot pleaded not guilty to multiple felony charges filed against them earlier this month. And last week, one of them was arraigned on a new misdemeanor charge.

Shawn Tyler Madewell, 24, was charged with three counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and an enhancement for committing a crime to promote gang activity, all stemming from the September stabbing.

Last week, he entered a not guilty plea to a count of misdemeanor battery. A pretrial conference in that case is set for Nov. 24.

Madewell’s criminal history includes charges for burglary, drug possession, petit theft, illegal consumption and probation violation in Bingham and Bannock counties. He is being held at the Bingham County Jail. Bond is set at $500,000.

According to police reports, officers from Bingham County and the city of Blackfoot responded to the scene of a reported fight in the carnival area during the last day of the fair. When they arrived, they discovered the wounded victim, 24-year-old Marcelino G. Albino.

Albino suffered a stab wound to his upper torso. He was transported to the Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls.

Donavan Osborne, 21, was later arrested in Fort Hall. And on Sept. 12, he was charged with two felony counts of aggravated battery and two felony enhancements for promoting gang activity. He also pleaded not guilty to those charges last week.

Osborne’s criminal past includes multiple charges for drug possession, driving under the influence, illegal consumption and trespassing in Bingham and Bannock counties. He is also being held in the Bingham County Jail. Bond in his case was reduced to $100,000.

A jury trial for both defendants is set for Jan. 28, 2016.

Native Americans from dozens of tribes and nations attended a Veterans Powwow Saturday, Nov. 7, 2015, at the Shoshone-Bannock Hotel in Fort Hall, Idaho. (Hannah Leone/Idaho State Journal)

He felt he should stay in Vietnam, but with both of his brothers similarly deployed, Tinker Perkins didn’t have much of a choice.

After six years of service, two of those in Vietnam as a squad leader for Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 26th Marines, the Oklahoma Choctaw returned home.

Perkins had a friend in the Marines, another Native American, with the last name Humdinger. The two hung around with each other and watched each others’ backs until the day Humdinger was shot and killed in combat.

When Perkins returned to Oklahoma, he struggled to find out more about Humdinger.

“I lost my buddy and it took me 20 years to find him,” Perkins said.

During that time, Perkins thought about all the Native Americans among those 58,220 U.S. soldiers who died in the unpopular Vietnam War.

Then he started making calls. A fellow Native American veteran from Tennessee sent him some names.

By a decade ago, Perkins had collected 233.

He had the names printed on a gold T-shirt, along with their rank, branch, hometown and state of record, and date and country of casualty. Alphabetized by last name, the tiny print fills the front of the shirt and continues on the back.

Above the list on the front, he gave the shirt a title: “Honor Roll.” Headlining the back: “Native Americans who Gave All in Vietnam.”

Since then, Perkins has collected 10 more names. He thinks there are a couple hundred more, and he’s doing everything he can to find them.

“Through the years, I went to these festivals, powwows,” Perkins said. “People come up and check. They look for a name.”

Sometimes, they can’t find it. So he writes down the veteran’s information, verifies it, and adds it to his list.

“It shows the Native Americans that signed up and went to war,” Perkins said. “It makes me feel good because we never said no, even though it wasn’t a good war, supposedly.”

Like many other Vietnam veterans, Perkins remembers facing severe criticism and negativity when he returned from deployment.

In 1986, he moved to Fort Hall, where he now lives with his wife and four daughters, who are all members of the Shoshone-Bannock tribes. The 69-year-old plays on Fort Hall’s 65-and-over basketball team, part of an inter-tribal league. Perkins estimated about 80 veterans live in the Southeast Idaho reservation.

On Saturday, Perkins wore his gold shirt to the 11th annual Veterans Powwow at Fort Hall’s Shoshone-Bannock Hotel. The print isn’t the sharp black it was 10 years ago, but the names are still clear. Over the shirt, Perkins wore a multicolored vest adorned with his military pins and a beaded necklace embroidered with “USMC.”

For the indoor powwow, Native Americans belonging to dozens of tribes and nations traveled from states including Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico. Most of the dancers wore elaborate clothing, sewn by hand, decorated with colorful feathers and embellished with intricate bead designs. Others wore jeans and sweaters. Drum circles took turns keeping a pulsing beat that resonated throughout the room.

In the final grand entry at 7 p.m., veterans carrying the American and military flags led a procession around the room before others joined them in stationary dance.

Throughout the night, veterans were honored with speeches and gifts. At one point those present — veterans of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines — were invited to the center of the room, where 26 formed a half circle. One at a time, they told their names, years of service, and whatever else they wanted to share.

When the veteran to Perkins’ left handed him the microphone, he took off his vest and turned around so everyone could read his shirt.

By Debbie Bryce
For the Journal

POCATELLO — Martin Ish, the Fort Hall man accused in the 2009 beating death of Eugene Lorne Red Elk, pleaded not guilty Monday to second-degree murder.

The case was forwarded to the trial court following a two-day preliminary hearing earlier this month.

Ish, 58, is also charged with an enhancement for the use of a deadly weapon in the commission of a crime.

Ish consulted with his attorney, Bannock County Public Defender Scott Andrew, before entering the plea.

Sixth District Judge Stephen S. Dunn set the case for a jury trial on April 19. A pre-trial conference in the case is set for April 4.

Dunn said Ish faces a prison term of 10 years to life and/or a $50,000 fine.

Andrew asked the court to provide transcripts of the defendant’s preliminary hearing, which was held on Nov. 17 and Nov. 19.

Red Elk was found beaten outside Duffy’s Tavern on June 14, 2009.

Staff and patrons from Duffy’s testified that Red Elk, a bouncer at the bar, had ejected a man matching Ish’s description from the bar earlier that night.

A patron found Red Elk severely injured in the parking lot of Duffy’s Tavern. He died three days later at the Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls.

Ish’s cousin, Jennifer Teton, testified during the preliminary hearing that Ish had confessed to attacking Red Elk on the morning after the fatal incident. She stated that Ish was certain he had killed him.

Forensic expert Charles Garrison testified that Red Elk died from blunt force trauma to his head.

In 2010, Ish was sentenced to a prison term of three years fixed and four years indeterminate for possession of a controlled substance. He was paroled on May 20. But he was arrested in Boise just one month later and charged with the six-year-old murder in Pocatello.

Ish remains incarcerated at the Bannock County Jail, bond in the case was set at $1 million.

Submitted art
Artist’s rendition of the proposed new casino.

By Journal Staff

FORT HALL — Plans for a new casino to be connected to the existing Shoshone-Bannock Hotel & Event Center continue to move forward.

The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes have approved a project recovery plan to secure design and construction administrative services for the new casino project from one of three companies after terminating the professional architectural services of Thalden Boyd Emery Architects of St. Louis, Missouri, in November.

Proposals were sought from the four pre-qualified architecture firms that were originally interviewed in 2014 and gave conceptual proposals to design the new casino. To date, three firms responded with a letter of interest and one declined.

The three architecture and engineering firms that have expressed interest in the project are: FFKR of Salt Lake City, Utah; Womer & Associates of Spokane, Washington (Indian owned & TERO certified); and Worth Group of Denver, Colorado.

“The next step is meeting with the three firms to further interview for the job,” said Jack Ridgeway, the tribes’ contracted owners’ representative for the casino project. “In order to continue with the casino project, the tribes are looking for a firm that best provides the resources for design, quality, cost, schedule management and cultural understanding of the tribes.”

A tribal “Architects Interview Committee” that will consist of six members from within the tribal government and four at-large members from the tribes will be formed.

The committee roles and responsibilities are to facilitate a quality proposal from each firm on the scope of work and present their qualifications and preliminary approach for the project.

Any and all proposals are given a legal review by the tribes’ legal counsel. The winning contracted architecture firm will be announced in early January, 2016.

The new casino will be 70,000 square feet and will feature a gaming floor to hold 1,000 slot machines, a high-end buffet serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, a bar/lounge built on the gaming floor and a 24/7 food service court.

Construction will average 90 jobs for a 16-month construction period, and a formal groundbreaking has been scheduled for early spring of 2016.

By Journal Staff

FORT HALL — The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes say they support the redevelopment of the former FMC site west of Pocatello and any potential jobs it could bring; however, they only recently learned that Valley Agronomics LLC is hoping to construct a fertilizer distribution and retail center in the area and don’t currently have a working relationship with the organization.

The Tribes released the information in response to a Power County Development Authority news release issued about the planned project this week. It stated that PCDA, FMC and Valley Agronomics — a partnership between the Idaho-based Valley Wide Cooperative and the Land O’Lakes company WinField Solutions LLC — were working with the Environmental Protection Agency, Idaho Department of Environmental Quality and the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes to ensure the project fits into the remedial design for the Superfund cleanup site.

“While we look forward to working with Valley Agronomics in the future, we certainly have not been working with them,” Lee Juan Tyler, vice chairman of the Fort Hall Business Council, said in the Tribes’ news release. “We look forward to working with Power County Development on this important redevelopment project.”

The Tribes say they want to ensure any redevelopment on the state land, which must be accessed through the Fort Hall Reservation, is consistent with the proposed remedial action required by the EPA.

“To date, FMC has not provided formation needed to finalize the groundwater extraction system,” the news release states. “The groundwater extraction system is necessary to reduce arsenic and other contaminants that continue to flow off the site and into the Portneuf River.”

The Tribes also plan to continue working with the EPA to finalize an independent study to identify treatment technologies that can be used on the estimated 16,000 tons of elemental phosphorus buried in the soils at the former FMC site, according to the news release.

“Elemental phosphorus generates the deadly gas Phosphine, which migrates through the soils,” the news release said.

In a statement released Wednesday, FMC spokesperson Paul Yochum said that under the terms of the Unilateral Administrative Order issued by the EPA, the Tribes, IDEQ and EPA have to fully review and approve remediation activity in the area.

Jesse Whitewolf Bruce

By Debbie Bryce
For the Journal

POCATELLO — Jesse Whitewolf Bruce, of Fort Hall, was sentenced Monday to 10 years in prison on a reduced charge of involuntary manslaughter in the June stabbing death of Chubbuck resident Lric Elkins.

Bannock County Deputy Prosecutor Zach Parris told the court that the stabbing death was set in motion when Bruce became jealous because Elkins was flirting with his girlfriend.

“(Bruce) lured (Elkins) into the bathroom and he killed him,” Parris said.

Parris asked the court to impose a sentence of eight years fixed and two years indeterminate in the case.

Bruce was arrested June 6 along with Tyrell Owen Dixie, who was charged as a principal to murder in the case. The charge against Dixie was later dismissed.

They were arrested after police were called to an apartment on North Grant Street in Pocatello on June 5 when someone reported seeing a man in a bloody bathtub.

The caller also said individuals from the apartment were looking for a tarp.

When officers gained access to the dwelling, they found Bruce, Crystal Martinez and Jessica CrookedArm in the kitchen of the apartment. Dixey was found sleeping in the same room where Elkins body was found stuffed into a trash can and covered with a sheet.

Bannock County Coroner Kim Quick reported that Elkins bled to death from a stab wound to the lung.

Public Defender Randy Schulthies told the court that the incident was the result of alcohol and illegal drug use.

Schulthies said his client had never been charged with a crime of violence and he argued that in spite of the presentence investigation, Bruce does not present a high risk for recidivism.

“We think that is significant and we ask the court to consider that,” Schulthies said.

Schulthies asked the court to sentence Bruce to two years fixed and five indeterminate and he asked the court to retain jurisdiction.

Elkins’ grandmother, Nancy Larsen, of Pocatello, said her grandchildren lost both of their parents and that’s how Elkins and his siblings came to live with her in Pocatello.

“We can no longer see Lric’s smile or hear his laugh,” Larsen said. “My grandson was taken from us for no good reason. Lric might be able to forgive (Bruce), but I haven’t yet.”

Larsen asked the court to impose the maximum sentence in the case.

Schulthies said Bruce and Elkins went into the bathroom to use drugs, an argument ensued and ultimately, Bruce stabbed Elkins to death. But he said his client did not intend to kill Elkins.

Parris said the killing went beyond sharing drugs.

“Because of the nature of what happened and the fact that the presentence investigation indicates that Bruce is at a high risk to reoffend, we’re asking for eight years fixed and two years indeterminate,” Parris said.

Bruce’s adopted mother, Teresa Appenay, addressed the court on his behalf Monday and she said that her son is a very loving and caring person.

“He would give someone the shirt off his back if they needed it,” Apenay said.

Appenay said Bruce is the youngest of six brothers and added that family members were not interviewed for the presentence investigation.

“It was his involvement with drugs that led to this, but Elkins was involved in drugs too,” Apenay said. “There is responsibility on both sides.”

Bruce addressed the court and said that he accepts responsibility for his action and regrets what happened.

“That is not me, your honor, that is not who I am,” Bruce said.

Sixth District Judge Stephen S. Dunn said he would assume that if family members had been contacted for the PSI, they would have given positive feedback regarding Bruce. But he contested Schulthies claim that Bruce did not pose a risk for reoffending.

“You stabbed someone to death,” Dunn said. “Someone got stuffed into a trash can.”

Dunn conceded that Bruce’s past criminal history was minor, but he said the nature of the crime suggests he was on the wrong path.

Bruce’s criminal history includes driving under the influence, petit theft and illegal consumption.

Following the sentencing, Appenay and Bruce’s sister, Raven Waterhouse, said they believe Bruce received the maximum sentence simply because he is American Indian.

Appenay said a second son was struck and killed by a non-Indian driver on Hawthorne Road in 2013. That driver received a 90-day suspension of her driver’s license.

Waterthouse said her brother was not in his right mind at the time of the killing.

“I absolutely believe it was because he was Indian. When they’re using drugs, people are not in their right mind,” Waterhouse said. “Both my brother and (Elkins) were using drugs.”

BY GREG EICHELBERGER
Idaho State Golden Glove Hall of Fame inductees include, from left, Jack Woods, Chuck Mahana, Frank Echevarria and Kilburn Buckskin. The organization’s president, right, is Rob Chavez. Plus, three others were honored during the Dec. 17 induction ceremony: Dale Trumbo, Jerry Armstrong and the late Jerry Beebe.

By Greg Eichelberger
For the Journal

Jack Woods and the late Jerry Beebe, both of Pocatello, Kilburn Buckskin, of Fort Hall, and Frank Echevarria, of Blackfoot, were four of the first seven boxers inducted into the inaugural class of the Idaho Golden Gloves Hall of Fame on Dec. 17.

The choices were made by Rob Chavez, president of the Idaho State Golden Gloves and the Gate City Boxing Club.

The other honorees were Dale Trumbo, Jerry Armstrong and Chuck Mahana, all from the Boise area. A special ceremony was held at the Pocatello War Memorial with a banquet and almost 200 in attendance. Trumbo and Armstrong were unable to attend due to illness.

“This is just a wonderful event and what a turnout,” Chavez said. “We just wanted to find a way to say ‘thank you’ for all of the hours and hours of hard work these individuals took to train hundreds and hundreds of young people. They gave so much. We just wanted to return that in some small way.”

“I am very surprised and honored at my selection,” said Woods, who retired in 2009 after 14 years as Idaho State Golden Gloves president, handing the reins of the club to Ron Eator, of Inkom (Chavez took over in 2013). “Boxing has been in my blood for as far back as I can remember. My dad was an avid boxing fan, and I listened to all of the big fights with him on the radio: Joe Louis, Sugar Ray Robinson, Tony Zale and Rocky Graziano.”

Woods recalls one of his earliest pugilistic memories listening to the Joe Louis-Billy Conn heavyweight championship fight on the radio in September 1941. He was 8 years old at the time. He has been hooked on the sport ever since.

Later, Woods claimed he was tired of always being the picked-on new kid, so he took up boxing as a means of self-defense. He boxed briefly while in the service from 1952-1953, stationed in Hawaii. After his release from the Navy in 1956, his only experience with the sport was watching all of the Wednesday night and Friday night fights on television, and also an occasional sparring match with someone.

“I became involved with the (Veterans of Foreign Wars) Amateur Boxing Club as a coach in February 1969 and worked with the VFW for 14 years until 1983,” Woods said.

As for Buckskin, his experience was vicarious, through his sons, who began participating in a Salvation Army program in the early 1970s.

“I wanted them to do something to improve their situation,” he remembers. “Boxing was always something that made them want to better themselves.”

His induction into the first Hall of Fame class was just as shocking to him as it was Woods.

“It’s great knowing that I was included with these great names,” he said. “I never (thought) I would be in such company, but I am very honored and humbled to be a part of this. And to be inducted tonight with many members of my family here is just too special to put into words.”

Trumbo and Armstrong boxed for Idaho State University. Armstrong represented the United States as a bantamweight at the 1960 Rome Olympic games, winning a silver medal. Trumbo also served as an Idaho Athletic Commission director.

“Whenever I needed funds to travel to Golden Gloves tournament, Dale would often give it to us out of his own pocket,” said former professional boxer Cleveland Corder. He won several GG national championship, as well as three pro titles (IBC World Middleweight, NBA World Middleweight and CAM World Middleweight championships).

“Chuck Mahana started my whole career off for me,” he said. “If it wasn’t for these two great men, I would certainly not be where I am today. They taught me that it’s more than just a physically demanding sport; they showed me it was just as much mental conditioning, too.”

Echevarria was Idaho’s last national champion, winning the title in 1952 at 119 pounds. Echevarria is now 85 and a resident of Blackfoot. He started in the sport in high school, but excelled at the University of Idaho in Moscow. In 1952, he became an Olympic runner-up, losing a split-decision to Davey Moore, who later went on to become a world champion.

Larry Fullmer, the nephew of the late Gene Fullmer, who defeated Sugar Ray Robinson for the world middleweight championship on Jan. 7, 1957, also spoke at the ceremony, saying that the event was so awesome, he was missing his family’s Christmas celebration.

“I want to pay my respects and show my great admiration for all of those in this first class of the Idaho State Golden Gloves Hall of Fame,” Fullmer said. “It’s so much of a thrill for me to be here and welcome them.”

Photo by Randy’L Teton

By Lisa Dayley Smith

FORT HALL — Shortly after graduating from Highland High School in 2008, Shoshone-Bannock Native American Phillip Baldwin signed up with the Marines.

Just a week out of high school, Uncle Sam sent Baldwin all over the world from Ireland to Okinawa to Afghanistan. Three years later, and, while on patrol in Afghanistan, Baldwin stepped on an Improvised Explosive Device that quickly tore away both of his legs.

As a result of Baldwin’s sacrifice, the government awarded him a Purple Heart. On Wednesday, he and fellow Bannock Shoshone veterans were honored by the Pocatello-Chubbuck Military Affairs Committee and the Military Order of the Purple Heart at the Tribal Chambers.

During the ceremony, Fort Hall officials received plaques and temporary signage stating the reservation’s new status as a Purple Heart Reservation.

The military committee worked extensively during the past three months to receive the designation. Pocatello, Chubbuck and Bannock County are also Purple Heart communities, and the committee wanted to give Fort Hall the opportunity as well.

“We recognized a lot of value that Native Americans have here, and we felt the need to get them involved. They jumped on board with it,” said committee official Josiah Dahlstrom, who along with Miguel Dominic and Wade Pierce, helped secure the designation.

To secure the designation, a community just needs to want one.

“It has nothing to do with Purple Heart veterans, but everything to do with interest in supporting and honoring those veterans with a Purple Heart,” he said.

Other Indian reservations have expressed interest but have not yet received the honor.

“There’s a lot of paperwork involved. The national Purple Heart organization has had conversations with other reservations, but it hasn’t ever happened. Some have been working on it for years. To have Fort Hall jump on board, it’s amazing to get it so quick,” Dahlstrom said.

Originally called “The Badge of Military Merit,” Gen. George Washington created the designation in 1782. Fast forward to 1932, and Gen. Douglas MacArthur renamed it “The Purple Heart.” Only those service members wounded or killed in battle receive the honor.

Native Americans have served in the military since the United States beginnings. Despite not receiving full-fledged American status, Native Americans continued volunteering for subsequent wars. The most famous group may be the Navajo Code Talkers who outwitted the Japanese with their unique language codes.

Baldwin’s family is service minded. His grandfather, Pete Rodriguez, volunteered with the Air Force, while his dad, Bruce Baldwin Sr., worked as a law enforcement officer. Baldwin’s two brothers, Bruce Jr. and Allen, have also served in the military. Shortly after Phillip was injured, Allen joined the military.

“That says what kind of man he is,” Baldwin said.

Phillip Baldwin remembers everything about being injured. He recalls the pain, but says that he’s adjusted to it.

“At first it hurts, but after a time, you get used to it,” he said.

Following his injury, medical officials whisked Phillip Baldwin off to a U.S. Hospital in Germany before sending him to a Boise medical facility. Today, Baldwin relies on a wheelchair but has little interest in using artificial limbs that prove awkward.

“The thing about a wheelchair, is that I’m fast. There’s less chance of a fall,” he said.

Remarkably enough, Baldwin isn’t bitter, but prefers to be grateful for what he has.

“I want zero pity. It’s a sign of weakness,” he said.

Baldwin says he knew going into the service, that being wounded was a possibility. Today, he relies on his Marine training and his Shoshone-Bannock belief in “The Creator” to help guide and comfort him.

“It’s somebody I know who’s with me. I just know I have to do right,” he said.

The single father of two, Baldwin is happy to be back and plans to soon build his own home. Someday he might return to college, but, for now, he’s content to do his own thing.

“I just got my freedom back, I’m not in a hurry to lose it again. Why would I be an overachiever when I can accept what I have now?” Baldwin said.

Baldwin urges fellow injured servicemen to pick up where they left off before enlisting. He also encourages them to work with local veterans’ groups, not to dwell on the past and to move forward with their lives.

“Draw on forgiveness to get you through and forgive your enemies,” he said.

As for the permanent new signage, it’s been ordered and is in the process of becoming “Department of Transportation worthy.” Once it’s finished it will be placed at the Interstate 15 Fort Hall Exit for all the world to see that Fort Hall is a Purple Heart Reservation.

“We’re excited for that to happen,” Dahlstrom said.

For more information on the Purple Heart designation call 208-241-8638.

Facebook photo
Raymond Hye Broncho, 40, of Fort Hall, is seen here holding an SKS assault rifle in a photo he posted on Facebook during his standoff with law enforcement officers in September of 2014.

POCATELLO — Raymond Hye Broncho, a 40-year-old from Fort Hall, will be serving nine years in prison for assault on an officer with a dangerous weapon and illegal possession of a firearm by a drug user, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The charges against Broncho stem from a Sept. 20, 2014, standoff between him and dozens of law enforcement officers at Fort Hall. Despite Broncho firing at police multiple times, no one was hurt during the standoff and no law enforcement officers ever returned fire.

The incident began to unfold when Fort Hall police were dispatched to a residence for a report of shots fired. The first officer on the scene arrived to an empty house and found Broncho outside with an assault rifle.

Broncho was reportedly talking about people who were not there saying, “They’re in the trees” and “Watch out, they’re going to get me.” Broncho ignored the officer’s orders to drop the weapon and retreated back into the house.

Other officers arrived on the scene and attempted to negotiate with Broncho. The negotiation proved unsuccessful and shots were fired by Broncho — some barely missing an officer near the house and some hitting a police car.

Local and FBI SWAT officers were called to the scene. Broncho then opened fire on the SWAT officers and just barely missed hitting them.

During the standoff, a conflict arose between some tribal officials and the non-Indian law enforcement officers at the scene. At one point, the tribal officials threatened to confiscate the Bannock County Sheriff’s Office armored vehicles that were brought in as part of the law enforcement response to the standoff.

This threat caused Bannock County Sheriff’s Office personnel to drive the armored vehicles away from the scene.

The FBI intervened in the matter and got the Sheriff’s Office to come back to the scene with the armored vehicles.

Broncho later surrendered and admitted to possessing an SKS assault rifle and a .22-caliber rifle, both of which were found in the house. He also admitted to officers that he had used methamphetamine shortly before the standoff. This was confirmed by a blood test.

The Fort Hall Police Department, the Bannock County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI all investigated the case. Broncho pled guilty on Oct. 17, 2015, and was sentenced on Tuesday.

Broncho will also serve three years of supervised release and will forfeit the two guns found at the scene.

Lathan L. Nappo

By Debbie Bryce For the Journal

A Fort Hall man is in custody after a short pursuit early Friday that resulted in a Bannock County patrol car being damaged.

The chase ended when an apprehension canine was deployed.

Lathan L. Nappo, 21, is charged with eluding, aggravated assault and battery on an officer — all felonies. He was also charged with misdemeanor mistreatment of a police dog and failure to purchase a driver’s license.

Nappo also had two outstanding arrest warrants out of Bingham County. He was also in possession of a loaded rifle.

Bannock County Sheriff Lorin Nielsen said the incident started when Chubbuck police were called to Jacksons Food Stores on Yellowstone Avenue because of a reported theft. The suspect had fled down Stuart Street.

Bannock County deputies located the suspect’s vehicle at Hawthorne and Reservation roads and attempted to stop the driver.

The vehicle did stop but then took off again, ramming the deputy’s vehicle twice in the process. A female passenger got out of the vehicle and was nearly ran over as the suspect fled, Nielsen said.

Deputies pursued the vehicle down Tyhee Road and onto Hiline Road.

The sheriff said Nappo was traveling at speeds of up to 95 mph on Hiline Road. When he attempted to turn onto Edmo Road, he missed the turn and drove into a field.

Nappo attempted to flee on foot, but Arno, an apprehension canine, was released, and Nappo surrendered to law enforcement.

Nielsen said neither the deputy nor Arno were injured in the incident.

Bond in the case was set at $75,000, and a preliminary hearing was set for Feb. 2. Nappo remains incarcerated at the Bannock County jail.

Jennifer Jackson

By Jennifer Jackson
Idaho Fish and Game

Looking for something wild to do during the next couple of months? How about attending one of the upcoming sportsmen’s banquets?

Sportsmen organizations from around the region typically schedule their banquets and fundraisers this time of year. It is the perfect time to get together as fellow outdoors and wildlife enthusiasts and do something wild for wildlife.

Banquets are so much more than just an opportunity to eat good food and have fun with the family. They also function as fundraisers to generate money for wildlife conservation, community contributions and youth programs.

Southeast Idaho Flyfishers has contributed money and labor to various habitat improvement projects throughout Southeast Idaho, which benefits critical riparian areas and fisheries. The club has also sponsored Trout in the Classroom programs and field trips for Southeast Idaho classrooms (K-12), including several in Pocatello/Chubbuck School District 25, and has supported efforts to get families and youth fishing.

National Wild Turkey Federation’s Southeast Idaho chapter has contributed both turkeys and money to the Idaho Foodbank during the holidays. This chapter has been involved in youth hunter mentoring programs, women’s outdoor workshops, the Idaho Wildavore adult hunter mentoring program and outdoor events and hunting opportunities for the disabled. This chapter has even sponsored numerous Eagle Scout projects over the years and has handed out scholarships for college-bound youth. NWTF has also assisted with habitat projects that benefit a variety of species besides turkeys, and have provided educational materials for use in Project WILD workshops for teachers.

The Mule Deer Foundation and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation have donated time and money to habitat projects throughout the regions and have provided personnel and funds to assist with youth mentored hunts and many other invaluable conservation efforts.

Safari Club International has shared their wonderful education sensory safari with schools, libraries and other venues for the purpose of showcasing the amazing wildlife that can be found throughout the world in nose-to-nose educational experiences. SCI has also contributed to conservation efforts that benefit wildlife right here in southeastern and eastern Idaho.

Pheasants Forever, Ducks Unlimited and so many more organizations here in this region do their part to benefit habitat, wildlife and youth.

It is impossible to list every group, every contribution of time and energy, every donation, every effort that our sportsmen’s groups give to the community, to the region, to area youth, to wildlife and conservation. But you are all appreciated. You make a difference.

If you would like to help these groups continue with their tireless efforts, consider buying an annual membership or volunteering your time to help with a project. You can also make a contribution by attending a sportsmen’s banquet or fundraiser — and bring the whole family. From great food, to raffles for wonderful prizes, to auctions for fabulous items and games for the kids, there is something for everyone.

Not sure when or where your favorite group’s banquet is? Check out the information below for upcoming events in Southeast Idaho or search the Internet for the information. Most sportsmen’s organizations have a website with chapter contact information.

My sincere apologies to those wonderful groups that have already held their banquets this year and also to those groups I may have failed to include here. Keep me posted about your wonderful projects and efforts, and I will do my best to include it in future columns.

Safari Club International, Idaho Chapter

Saturday. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.

Red Lion Hotel, Pocatello

Ticket and banquet information: Tony Hafla at 208-522-0750 or email wabrrich@isu.edu

Ducks Unlimited, Pocatello

Feb. 6. Doors open at 6 p.m.

Red Lion Hotel, Pocatello

Ticket and banquet information: Rich Higashi at 208-237–0673 or higashiheidi@gmail.com or Chris Bowers at 208-604-0461

Blackfoot River Bowmen

Feb. 13. Doors open at 4:30 pm; dinner at 6 p.m.

Elks Lodge, Blackfoot

Ticket and banquet information: brbsecretary@gmail.com or 208-716-3403

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Southeast Idaho Chapter

March 5. Doors open at 5 p.m.

Shoshone-Bannock Hotel & Event Center

Exit 80 & I-15, Fort Hall

Ticket and banquet information: Sue Regetz at 208-904-4752

Mule Deer Foundation Banquet, Pocatello

March 12. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

Visit website for updated information as it becomes available: muledeer.org/event/southeast-idaho-chapter/

National Wild Turkey Federation

March 12. Doors open at 5 p.m.; dinner starts at 7 p.m.

Red Lion Hotel, Pocatello

Ticket and banquet information: Joe Foster at 208-339-0948 or jafoste2@up.com

Pheasants Forever, Franklin County

April 9

Franklin County Fairgrounds

More information: Mark Beckstead at 208-852-1926

Mule Deer Foundation, Malad City

April 29

More Information: Shane Wood at 208-317-6255

Friends of NRA

May 7, doors open at 5:30 pm.

Red Lion Hotel, Pocatello

Ticket and banquet information: Craig Gates at 208-220-5947 or nracegates@gmail.com

Ducks Unlimited, Blackfoot

May 14. Doors open at 5:30 pm.

Elks Lodge, Blackfoot

Ticket and banquet information: Don Thoen at 208-684-5096

Jennifer Jackson is the regional conservation educator for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Southeast Region.