News

MAY 22, 2012

EDITOR: KATIE ARDMORE | SCROLLNEWS@BYUI.EDU

PAGE 9

Fire at The Ivy

GREASE FIRE DAMAGES APARTMENT KITCHEN, PAGE 10

Found Innocent
OFFICIAL INVESTIGATED FOR MISUSE OF FUNDS, PAGE 11

ST. ANTHONY HOLDS FISHERMANS BREAKFAST FUNDRAISER, PAGE 13

County elections show low voter turnout

BRETT EVANS & LIZZY PETHERBRIDGE Scroll Staff The Madison County primary elections closed Tuesday with each incumbent winning another term and a lower-than-average voter turnout. Prosecuting Attorney Sid Brown won with the smallest margins, taking approximately 52 percent of the vote over his opponent Robert H. Wood, according to the official Madison County election results. Commissioners Kimber Ricks and Todd Leo Smith and Sheriff Roy Klingler also won their respective races. 2013 will be Klinglers 12th year as sheriff. Additional measures on the ballot included a levy for Fremont School District, and a Sugar-Salem School District bond. The $2.4 million levy was voted down by 53 percent of voters. The $5.5 million bond passed, with about three-quarters of votes in favor. We usually have between 38 and 40 percent voter turnout, but this IDAHO VOTER year it was only TURNOUT between 27 and 28 Idahos average percent, said Kim voter turnout is Muir, Madison close to the national average at 42.8 County clerk. percent, according This number to the U.S. Elections is lower than the Project. national average for voter turnout, which is about 41.7 percent, according to the U.S. Elections Project. Muir said she would have liked to see more voters. Madison County offers same-day voter registration, which Muir said generally helps increase voter turnout, but there are a number of things that could contribute to a low voter turnout.

RACHEL BROWN | Scroll Photography

Rexburg residents volunteer at the Madison County election polls at Central High School. The election was held on Tuesday, May 15, and polls were held at various locations across the county.

We have a lot of students in Madison County, Muir said. Often, students dont feel the need or the desire to vote. Students from other counties or states needed to declare residency in Madison County to vote in county elections, but they may not have wanted to. Doing so could mean that theyd lose some potential benefits in their home state, said Sue Bagley, Madison Countys election clerk. Some would lose in-state tuition if they decide to move home for grad school and there may be other financial concerns as well. Additionally, Madison Countys voter registration shows that the county operates on a single-party system. Only 2 percent of total county votes were Democrats compared to Republicans.

Muir said this phenomenon also contributes to Madison Countys low voter turnout, with many residents not seeing the need to vote. I know lots of residents were unhappy that they had to declare a party this year, she said. Muir said Madison County elections had never required party affiliation until this year. One of the voting polls was held in the Little Theatre in BYU-Idahos Hyrum Manwaring Center. Idaho-born residents Max and Evelyn Craner voted on Tuesday and said they found it very inconvenient to vote on campus at BYU-I because they couldnt find anywhere to park. There is no wheelchair access to be able to make it up the stairs and a lot of

people dont know where the elevator is, Evelyn said. The couple said that the voting itself went smoothly but the location was inconvenient. Students preferences for voting locations varied. Kora Robinson, a junior studying political science, said she also found the location inconvenient. Living off campus means theres no parking until after 4, so I had to wait to be able to vote, said Robinson, who applied for Idaho residency after moving to Idaho a few years ago. In contrast, Kevin Haderlie, a junior studying financial economics, said the location was very convenient. Haderlie lives close to campus and has been an Idaho resident since birth.

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PAGE 10 MAY 22, 2012

Cancer benefit attracts nearly 400 bikers

BRETT EVANS Scroll Staff A Rexburg boy with brain cancer received thousands of dollars in donations following a motorcycle rally and benefit dinner May 19. Wesley Johnson, diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor in December 2011, was escorted to Burton Elementary School in a gang of 395 motorcycles, scooters and trikes. Doug Byrd, a Sugar City resident, planned the event. It kind of started by accident, Byrd said. I said Id make an event on Facebook and let eight or ten of my friends know. He said he accidentally made the event public, and soon it went viral. Almost 400 motorists showed up. Byrd said he was surprised at the amount. Byrd decided to keep the rally a secret from Wesley, but made plans with him and his family for a motorcycle ride. with patches declaring him president of the Wesleys Warriors motorcycle gang. Thank you isnt enough, said Annette Johnson, Wesleys grandmother. This is an incredible, lifetime memory and thanks will never be enough. Wesley rode with Byrd in the front of the pack of motorcycles, which was escorted by Madison County deputies, Rexburg and Rigby police and Idaho State Patrol officers before riding to Burton Elementary School. There, the motorcyclists joined the community for a $5 dinner and raffle, with all money going to the Johnson family. The food, gift certificates and raffle prizes were donated by local businesses and organizations, including original art by BYU-Idaho students. Im overwhelmed, said Wesleys mother, Aimee Johnson. Im amazed and grateful and so touched. I knew this was all happening, but I had no idea it was going to be like this. Im speechless.

JORDAN HINCKLEY | Scroll Photography

Wesley Johnson, a cancer patient from Rexburg, sits on a motorcycle at a benefit rally held for him May 19. Wesley was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor about five months ago.

Wesley showed up to the motorcycle rally expecting to see a few of Byrds friends and instead found hundreds. I feel like I have a lot of friends, Wesley said. Im going to get a black motorcycle with flames someday.

He also said he cant wait to ride again. Groups and businesses throughout Idaho donated money and presents to Wesley, including temporary tattoos, t-shirts, doo-rags, a helmet and leathers

Grease fire spreads at The Ivy

SCHAE RICHARDS News Asst. Editor A grease fire occurred at The Ivy apartment complex May 17, which caused minimal damage and left residents unharmed, said the Madison County Fire Department. The fire department responded to a fire call around 3:30 p.m after a resident left her kitchen with the stove on. Jed Capps, a BYUScrollDigital Idaho intern for the Madison County A related video is available at Fire Department, byuicomm.net reported that today. all occupants were successfully evacuated out of the building and said the fire caused minimal damage in the apartment. Capps said that the sprinklers were already activated when they arrived and that thewater from the sprinkler system

LAUREN WALKER | Scroll Photography

An apartment on the fourth floor of The Ivy housing complex caught on fire May 17. The apartment had minimal damage including the stove and microwave.

left two inches of water on the ground. The damages of this fire were minimal; however, the sprinkler system that was engaged, as a result of this fire, was estimated to put out several hundreds of gallons of water, said Summer Elrod, manager of The Ivy. Firefighters evacuated the apartment complex and then ventilated the

apartment by opening the windows. Maintenance staff and other employees arrived shortly after the incident to start making repairs. Elrod reported that residents from four apartments had to be move to be able to make the repairs. Were grateful the fire was contained and no one was hurt, Elrod said.

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MAY 22, 2012 PAGE 11

Investigation finds official innocent

BRETT EVANS Scroll Staff An investigation of Madison County official Brent McFadden found him innocent of any wrongdoing May 7, following allegations that he misused county funds last year. McFadden, the Madison County planning and zoning committee administrator, was cleared of any misconduct following an investigation conducted by the Tri-County Sheriff s Association. Madison County handed the investigation to the Tri-County Sheriff s Association April 30. McFadden allegedly bought an airplane ticket for his wife in April 2011 using a Madison County credit card. His wife was accompanying him on a business trip.

We wrote the check directly to the bank card center so it didnt go through the county. There was never any county money saved.
BRENT MCFADDEN
MADISON COUNTY PLANNING AND ZONING COMMITTEE ADMINISTRATOR

The county was responsible to pay for his plane ticket, but not for his wifes ticket. The only reason we did it was so that we could make sure my wife and I got on the same flight and got our seats together, McFadden said. However, McFadden said that the countys funds were left untouched, and reimbursed the credit account with his own money before any charges were assessed to the county. According to McFadden, he had

permission from the county commission to buy his wifes plane ticket using the county credit card and reimburse the cost to the commission. We wrote the check directly to the bank card center so it didnt go through the county, McFadden said. There was never any county money used. Chief Bruce Bowler of the Madison County Sheriff s Office confirmed that Tri-County had found no wrongdoing in the investigation. Bowler said that their report will be

handed over to the county so that action can be taken if necessary. I dont expect any discipline to come to McFadden because the investigation didnt find any problem in how he acted, Bowler said. McFadden said that the whistleblower behind the allegations was a disgruntled employee. Misty Berger, director of the Madison County Parks and Recreation Department confirmed that she brought the complaint to the county commissioners attention shortly after the investigation began. Bergers employment with Madison County ended May 14. She could not be reached for comment. County representatives declined to comment on the circumstances surrounding her employment.

SELECTIONS FROM REXBURG POLICE LOG:

MAY 1418
Editors note: All information contained in this section is public record and is accessible to anyone through the Rexburg Police Department. Suspicious phone calls and text messages. Talked about donations and winners of cash. Combative female complaint. Madison Memorial assisted security. Complaint of a 24-year-old female possibly suicidal and a cutter. Disturbance complaint. Individual complained that subject in front of post office had multiple pictures of Barack Obama sporting a Hitler mustache. Call from two employees locked inside a business at closing. Dragon Slayer, 52 E. Main Street. Fire complaint. Teton Lakes Golf Course. Riding lawn mower caught fire. Damaged property. Unknown person scratched the rear of a blue vehicle and attempted to cover damage by spray painting the scratches with purple paint. Injured 11-year-old female. Victims head hit a wall at her residence, unconscious, transported for medical treatment. Recovered stolen bike. Found padlocked at the John W. Hart Building on BYU-I Campus. Attempted fraud. Victim advertised his apartment on Craigslist. He was contacted by an individual wanting the apartment. Subject received a check for $5,950. Subject then attempted to cash the check at his bank and was told it was a fraudulent check. Complaint of possible attempted break-in. Two window screens out of brackets. Complaint of trespassing. Subject caught manager coming out of his apartment. Damaged power pole complaint at Seventh South and 12th West, and Eighth South and Fifth West. Wind damage. Thefts. Complaint of four microphones stolen from BYU-I buildings. Arrest. Resisting and obstruction. Dispatched to a disturbance complaint. Confronted by an aggressive intoxicated woman. Subject was yelling at her husband and was uncooperative.

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PAGE 12 MAY 22, 2012

BYU-I student faces Council approves charge of petty theft proposed rezoning
BRETT EVANS Scroll Staff A 23-year-old BYU-Idaho student has been charged with misdemeanor petty theft. Tace Herman, a junior studying exercise physiology, was charged May 14 for stealing motorcycle parts. Captain Randy Lewis, of the Rexburg Police Department, said the charge can have a maximum sentence of one year in jail or a $1,000 fine. An official Rexburg police report said that a clutch assembly was stolen from a motorcycle that was parked at The Ridge apartments. Lewis said the owner of the motorcycle recognized the clutch parts mounted on another bike. The victim confronted the person who had the parts and he eventually confessed to taking them, Lewis said. Lewis also said that the suspect has a history of petty theft in Madison County, referencing a case from 2010 when he was found guilty and sentenced to a year of probation, a fine and 180 days jail time, according to the Idaho Repository. Most of the jail time was deferred due to the compliance during his unsupervised probation. This prior history may mean stiffer penalties in this case if the suspect is found guilty. With petty theft, the suspect usually ends up in jail for at least a couple days, but in this case, the suspect has a prior history, so that ups the ante, Lewis said. He said the victim couldnt have done much to prevent it. WHAT IS It was just A CLUTCH one of those ASSEMBLY? opportunities. The clutch assembly You walk determines the by and see power exchange something between the engine you want, and and transmission. there it is, Lewis said. He said that, if convicted, the charges have the potential to follow the suspect for the rest of his life. Lewis pointed out that most jobs ask applicants if theyve been arrested or convicted of crimes. He said that convictions like these say a lot about someones honesty. It can really make it harder for you to get ahead and get good jobs, Lewis said. AINSLEY DESPAIN Scroll Staff The Rexburg City Council approved a rezoning application requested for the Pinnacle building on 51 South First East on May 2. The rezoning extended the building to the quarter block, said Elaine McFerrin, city planning and zoning coordinator. McFerrin oversees any building changes proposed by companies throughout the city. The Pinnacle building is located just north of the BYU-Idaho campus. This building will be made into single student housing, McFerrin said. However, housing is not permitted to be built at this time because the Pinnacle building is a part of the Central Business Center. The rezoning would change the classification to allow up to 40 units of housing per acre. No details have PLANNING been released AND ZONING as to how soon COMMITTEE the housing The Rexburg renovations Planning and may take place, Zoning Committee as plans for the handles all road future housing dedications, rezones and unit are still in their development. primary stages. Their main purpose In the is to promote beginning [the orderly growth and development as well plans] dont as safety. really have to be specific, McFerrin Source: www. rexburg.org said. Before the meeting, the city council reviewed recent improvements made to the building. These minor renovations were suggested to the company before submitting the rezoning application. The company representative, Ryan Lerwill, declined to comment on

SCOTT AUSTIN | Scroll Photography

The Pinnacle building is being turned into single student housing. The planning and zoning committee takes care of all zoning ordinances.

current plans until proposals are approved and settled early next month. The same applicant is on the agenda for this week, McFerrin said. They have another proposal for the city council meeting. McFerrin later added that the committee wants to ensure that the building will be used for housing only. She said that they do not want it too be used for any commercial purposes. The Pinnacle building is in one of many areas in the city which are being reviewed for housing potential. Other rezoning applications have qualified for Medium Density Housing for lots on North Second West. This area would accommodate approximately 45 housing units. Pedestrian emphasis overlay allows for less parking, McFerrin said. So that will affect this rezoning as well. The details of the rezoning will be approved and released to the public early next month.

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MAY 22, 2012 PAGE 13

St. Anthony to hold fishermans breakfast

NICK HARMER Scroll Staff The St. Anthony Chamber of Commerce will hold their 57th Annual Free Fishermens Breakfast May 25. It is held each year on the Friday before Memorial Day to welcome fisherman back to St. Anthony, which is traditionally the first official day of fishing season. Harry Halkar, the events coordinator, said the event will cater to 4,000 people. Everyone, especially students, are welcome to attend the breakfast, which Halkar said will be held from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. While waiting in line, people may visit booths that contain items donated by local businesses. Some of the booths carry souvenirs such as hats or shirts, while others will hold raffles for prizes such as a cooler full of goodies. One such booth that will hold a raffle is the booth for the Family Crisis Center. They will raffle items that have been donated by local businesses, like fishing poles and Jamba Juice gift cards. Because the Family Crisis Center is a non-profit organization, this is one of the few ways that we can get funds, said Stephanie Hawkins, an alumna from BYU-I with a degree in social work, who has been interning with the center this semester. I love the Family Crisis Center. It is a great place for any family that is in need. Not all the booths at the breakfast are within easy access. Some are outside of the park. Because we want this to be a free event, some of the booths that are holding raffles or selling other things will be just outside of the park, Halkar said. He said he wants the event to seem friendly and open. To help the event on the Friday before Memorial Day, Halkar said. From there it just kind of progressed until it is like it is today, with pancakes, sausage and soft drinks, Halkar said. He said that some of the people who will prepare the pancake batter this weekend have been doing so since the 1970s. Halkar said many different kinds of community members contribute to preparing for this event. Some of the setup is done by the kids from the Idaho Department of Juvenile Corrections just south of St. Anthony. The fishermans breakfast is awesome, Hawkins said. Its free food. You cant argue with free food. The fishermans breakfast will take place in Clyde Keefer Memorial Park, which is about 20 minutes away from Rexburg. The event is a great place to start for a weekend in Island Park, Halkar said.

HUNTER PARAMORE | Scroll Illustration

St. Anthony hosts an annual fishermans breakfast to start off the fishing season. The season traditionally begins the Friday before Memorial Day.

keep this feel, 2530 booths will be just outside the park. About 60 years ago, some of the local businesses, you know gas stations and such, started giving out free doughnuts

Teton park recruits summer volunteers

ALICIA MIHU Scroll Staff Grand Teton National Park is recruiting volunteers to patrol a multi-purpose pathway, providing a variety of services for other pathway users. Weve never turned anybody away, said Sara Petsch, a volunteer coordinator at Grand Teton National Park. Weve had around 10, maybe eight to 10 [volunteers]. Itd be nice to have more, but it really needs to be local people because we dont provide housing. This job provides help for those who would be alone on the 8-milelong multi-use pathway, which runs along the Teton Park Road from Moose to South Jenny Lake. Volunteers will meet and greet other pathway users, provide emergency assistance in the event of an accident, injury, or equipment malfunction and inform people of special rules, according to www.nps.gov. Other information provided will demonstrate ways to protect the park wildlife. The volunteers will also count how many people use the pathway, so they know how it accommodates the needs of the people. In addition, volunteers will serve as good Samaritans, assisting anyone who may require first aid or need a minor bike repair, according to www.nps.gov. Volunteers will not only help visitors of the park, but will help the people learn more about the outdoors.